


Plague

by MeZaKi93



Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Graphic Depictions of Illness, Medical Procedures, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2014-10-30
Packaged: 2018-02-22 18:21:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 44,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2517356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeZaKi93/pseuds/MeZaKi93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Abandonment of pride seemed to be the hardest thing, even when a deadly curse made them race against time - with their lives at stake. Rewrite of the episode "Cosmic Rust", AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"You heard me, Hook," Starscream's voice screeched through the comm. link, "isolate the repair bay as quarantine for us, and wear coveralls and masks when you come to take us in."

"Starscream," Hook sounded relatively annoyed, "how can you tell at all—"

"I have my methods," Starscream was starting to lose patience at the Constructicon's lack of respect, "and last time I checked, of the two of us, _I_ am the scientist _and_ your superior, so do as I say! Megatron and Astrotrain are infected for sure, and I don't want to risk anything until I can figure out what exactly we have here."

A whoosh of air could be heard from the link as Hook sighed, "Alright, Starscream. We'll make the preparations. Hook out."

Starscream snorted and turned back to Megatron; his leader was still clutching his shoulder where he had been hit by the asteroid chunk, but instead of moaning, he was taking deep ventilations to cool his systems. His temperature had risen, and Starscream could see through the cracks between his fingers that the metal around the tear had darkened considerably - that was the first thing that rose the Seeker's suspicion. He was glad he still kept his inbuilt microscope from the time before the war when they went exploring other worlds with Skyfire, but he wasn't so glad about what he saw when he examined Megatron's wound and the chunk.

And seeing the Gunformer's dazed look and how quickly it affected him, Starscream was starting to think it was better when he was still throwing tantrums.

The air commander was preparing for another comm. call when he heard Megatron's voice, "Starscream... are you sure you're not mistaken? Some strange corrosive chemical would be more logical then organic microbes—"

"I know what I saw, Megatron." Starscream grumbled back, "Those were microbes, though I didn't state they were organic, I said they _looked_ like they're organic. And anyway, we explored many planets with Skyfire" he fought the urge to wince at the name, "and we've found organic microbes that use metals as energy sources. Even on Earth there are species of bacteria that oxidize iron or other metals. That's why I need to examine this thing, and until I can figure out how it spreads, we'll stay in quarantine."

"Why do I have to stay?" he heard Rumble's whine from his other side and looked down to see the mini-mech scowling up at him, "You touched Megatron and the asteroid, okay, but I didn't—"

"You're in contact with Astrotrain." Starscream shot back, "You're inside him! And didn't you listen to what I said?! I _don't_ know how contagious it is, and you can't walk around in base spreading it all over the Nemesis!"

Rumble looked down, "But I don't feel ill." he said and this time, there was a twinge of fear in his voice besides the annoyance.

"Not feeling ill and not being ill are two different things." Starscream managed to contain himself from screeching again, "I'm not feeling ill either, but I might be infected already. All of us. Stop being a crybaby, a little isolation won't hurt you."

"Rumble," came Megatron's raspy voice from the other side, "I hate to say it, but listen to him."

Starscream didn't know if their leader was already too weak or simply had realized his second was more of an expert in this field than him, but the Seeker was grateful he, for once, trusted him enough to take control and didn't argue back. It made things a lot easier for him, and he nodded shortly to the Gunformer.

Rumble shut his mouth at Megatron's order and Starscream took a deep breath. He could see the young Cassetticon was frightened, and he could understand it; the thought of being infected with some unknown, maybe even mutated organism scared him, too, but he needed to collect his thoughts and he couldn't do that when everybody was questioning him. He was the scientist! He knew what he was doing.

He activated his comm. again, and this time, the deep voice of his trinemate greeted him, "Thundercracker here. What is it, Starscream? You're coming back already?"

"Something unexpected happened." Starscream tried to speak calmly, "Listen to me now, I need you to retrieve some things from my lab and take them to the repair bay."

Thundercracker was silent for a moment, "Of course, Starscream, but why?"

The trine leader sighed, "I'll explain you later, Thundercracker. I need a microscope, Petri dishes, loops, an incubator, agar powder and... well, at least one from every chemical you can find."

"Wow... that sounds like an idea Skywarp would have to make a bomb for the Autobots. Why do you need all these? You want to grow something?"

"Thundercracker, please, I told you I'll explain everything. Do this for me... you're about the only one I trust enough to touch my lab equipment. And don't tell Skywarp anything, and by all means, _stop_ him from teleporting into the repair bay!"

"O-okay... I'll try to make everything ready by the time you arrive."

"Thank you." Starscream sighed in relief as he ended the conversation. He knew he could trust Thundercracker, and even if he himself wasn't a scientist, he knew what Starscream needed and would keep things in order for him.

"That Petri dish," Megatron spoke up, he winced and tensed as a wave of sharp pain assaulted his wound again, "isn't that a human thing?"

"Yes, it is." Starscream answered, a little bit surprised at Megatron's knowledge of that one, "They use that to grow cell cultures. I got it from a lab we raided once. Since we're on Earth, I thought I would get acquainted with how humans work with these organic creatures of theirs... and I don't have much else either. I want to see if I can make a culture of these microbes since they seem organic to me... The only thing I know is that they can withstand long periods of cold temperature and radiation, but I want to know their metabolism. What _exactly_ they feed off and what they make that can corrode even us."

Megatron nodded absently and vented deeply, "Maybe you should also contact Soundwave. He could gather information about this planet and these germs that most likely wiped out its inhabitants."

Starscream nodded, that was a good idea - it would be hard to believe that no scientist or medic had ever made descriptions about this disease. Maybe there were survivors, or someone who had found a cure to it. However, before he could open his comm. link again, Astrotrain gave a mighty shudder. The air commander had noticed earlier that the triple-changer's interior seemed warmer than before, indicating that his temperature was rising, just like Megatron's, but he hoped he wouldn't overheat until they reached Earth.

"Astrotrain?" Starscream asked with a worried frown.

"I'm good." Astrotrain's voice sounded weaker than it should have, "Just hurts a little, but I'll manage."

"We can call Blitzwing to help you—"

"No, no, I can make it. Besides... I don't want him infected if what you said is true."

His shudderings increased, but they made it to Earth. Starscream let out a sigh of relief when they finally landed, he saw three of the Constructicons, Hook, Scrapper and Scavenger waiting for them, all wore protective coveralls as he instructed. At least he didn't need to argue with them anymore. They helped unload the Lightning Bug first and Starscream made an attempt to help Megatron, but the Decepticon leader pushed him away, stubborn as ever and Starscream rolled his optics. Astrotrain, however, was a different case.

The moment the triple-changer transformed back to his robot mode, he staggered, Hook caught him just in time before he could have collapsed. Scrapper moved to his other side and together they supported Astrotrain on the way to the repair bay with Starscream, Megatron and Rumble following them quietly. Just as they were reaching the repair bay did Starscream see Thundercracker, Skywarp and Soundwave stand together and he saw his two trinemates' optics widen at the sight.

"Starscream..." Skywarp already took a step towards them, but Starscream quickly held out both his hands to stop him.

"Don't come near us." he said sternly, "And don't go into the repair bay."

Thundercracker grabbed Skywarp's arm to pull him back gently and let them pass, though he himself couldn't hide his shock either. So that was why Starscream needed all those things from his lab? Were they... infected with something?

But how was that possible?

Rumble looked at Soundwave with a pleading expression, his creator just stood there holding a datapad in one hand and watched them quietly as the glass door of the repair bay, raised as part of the quarantine, closed after them. Starscream made his way to one of the wash racks, Hook and Scrapper helped Astrotrain lie down on a berth while Megatron sat down - or rather collapsed - on another. Only Rumble remained standing by the glass, looking out to Soundwave as the other Constructicons tended to the two ill mechs.

Soundwave walked slowly up to the glass that separated him from the Cassetticon and lowered himself to one knee. Rumble folded his arms around himself, Soundwave could see shivers running down his small body and he could feel his fear through their bond. The mini-con fidgeted nervously, his visor was shining brighter, an almost sharp shade of red and Soundwave tried to send shooting waves to him.

He didn't want his creation to feel how scared he was.

"How are you feeling?" Soundwave's monotone voice seemingly didn't carry any emotions, but Rumble was able to distinguish the tones and he recognised the trace of worry that even his creator couldn't hide.

"I'm fine, Soundwave!" Rumble exclaimed, "Tell Starscream to let me outta here! I'm not sick or anything."

"Starscream's instructions are reasonable. Cosmic Rust is very destructive."

Rumble frowned, but then he remembered Starscream had contacted Soundwave to gather information about the disease; that must have been the datapad he was still holding, "C-Cosmic Rust? But we don't rust!"

"Well, it seems we do." they heard Hook's voice and Rumble turned around to look at him. Hook was injecting nanites into Megatron's medical port on his upper arm to dull his pain receptors and now turned to examine the wound on his shoulder. Scrapper and Scavenger remained with Astrotrain, they brought ice packs to try to lower his temperature, the triple-changer was taking deep vents and looked rather dazed - he had overexerted himself and Rumble could see the rust-like substance around the tear on his waist that was the same as on Megatron's shoulder.

Hook continued, "I have never seen anything like this before. You must stay here until we examined you."

Rumble was now visibly shaking and Soundwave could almost feel his spark quiver with the violent desperation that overtook him. When the tape decker saw the first drop of coolant roll down the small face from under his visor, he stood back up and turned to the Constructicon.

"Hook, I require entrance."

Hook looked up at him and sighed. He knew how strong Soundwave's connection was with his cassettes, so he pointed over to a cabin on the side, "You'll find mask and coverall there and then you can come in."

Soundwave nodded and went over to the entrance of the quarantine area. Seeing this, Skywarp's optics brightened and he walked up to the glass, too, "Can we go in with TC? We want to see—"

"No!" Scrapper shook his head, "Only one at a time."

"Where's Starscream anyway?" Thundercracker asked.

"Preparing his personal lab, I guess. Heh, I guess you could tell him to come down from the clouds. He might have been a scientist, but he won't escape examination either."

Soundwave ignored the uncomfortable sensation of the protective layer around him as he stepped into the medbay and hurried up to Rumble. He crouched down to the small mech and hugged him to himself, he felt Rumble press his face into his shoulder. The Cassetticon at that moment didn't care that everyone could see it, the thought of him crumbling to rust like that Autobot in the hologram terrified him greatly.

Soundwave led him to one of the berths and picked him up, stroking his back in circles. Even through the coverall, he could feel that Rumble's body was warmer than it should have been and Soundwave's chest tighten. He dreaded the thought of his mini-mech being infected, especially after all the things he had found about Cosmic Rust, as the disease was called. He hoped with his entire spark that, by some miracle, Rumble would be unaffected, and it was just this emotional breakdown that caused him to start to overheat.

He couldn't bear the thought of losing one of his creations.

* * *

Meanwhile in the wash racks, Starscream took a deep breath. He knew he had to allow one of the Constructicons to look over his body for any sign of change, but he wanted to do an examination himself, at least on those parts that he could reach and see. His energon pump was racing and a hot wave rushed through his frame, making him shudder. He vented deeply again to calm himself down and raised up his right arm to look over it.

He wanted to go downwards examining himself and he tried to have a look at every inch of the limb from his fingers up to his shoulder. He couldn't see anything, but didn't allow himself relief. Next came his left arm, he tried to feel every outer wire searching for a rougher texture, something that did not belong there, but he again found none.

It would have been much easier if they had a mirror or anything Starscream could see himself in, he grunted as he tried to strain his neck cables as much as he could to have a better view of his wings. Their inner side that he could see seemed clear. He felt his neck and chest, moving his hands down his sides and back as long as he could reach, but still nothing. A small spark of hope was starting to build up in him, but it all shattered when he reached his waist and groin area.

There it was. A spot on his right side, just where the red plating ended over the base of his thigh, a dark spot that's center was already turning to a brownish color. Starscream took a shaky breath and closed his optics tight, he already felt coolant well up in them. He shook his head and carefully touched the spot, hissing softly when he felt how sensitive and painful it was. How could he not feel it until then? Maybe he was too preoccupied with making everything ready... yes, that was the reason.

The Seeker washed his hands thoroughly and wiped away the coolant that managed to escape his optics, he leant over the sink supporting himself on his arms. He vented deeply and straightened up, trying to collect himself. There was no time for crying. He needed to make the preparations to find out what was causing it all. He needed to find a solution - after all, he was the scientist.

After millions of years of war and survival, they couldn't end like this...


	2. Chapter 2

"Alright, Astrotrain." Scrapper said, "let's weld up this wound. Are you ready?"

The triple-changer nodded uncertainly. His processor was still a bit foggy, Scavenger supported him as he sat. They had managed to cool down his systems somewhat and he didn't feel like his energon pump would burst out of him anymore, but even with the anesthetic nanites he was given, the wound where he was struck by the asteroid chunk was still quite sore.

However, he wasn't ready for the blazing agony that shot through his frame the moment Scrapper's torch touched it. It was so sudden and overwhelming that he couldn't keep himself from screaming, he struggled in Scavenger's arms to get away from the burning sensation. Scrapper deactivated his torch immediately and Hook was already there, sticking an injection of sedatives into Astrotrain's medical port while the other Constructicon gently pushed one of the ice packs to the wound. Astrotrain's struggling ceased and he grew limp as Scavenger let him lie back down on the berth.

Scrapper shook his head, "I guess I did more damage than good." he murmured and frowned when he leant down to take a closer look at Astrotrain's chest. There was dark discolouration on the base of his neck, not yet rust, but Scrapper was sure it was a forerunner of another spot on his frame that the germs had attacked.

It was like this thing was decomposing the metal that made up their bodies.

Starscream came out of the wash racks just as Astrotrain's painful cry rang through the repair bay. He stood frozen, watching the scene with wide optics and only dared move when he saw the Constructicons managed to stabilize the triple-changer. He could imagine how it must have hurt when the burning torch touched the sensitive wound and he flinched with a pang of sympathy and fear. Will he be this sick, too? No, he'll find a solution until then. He had to.

He made his way over to the glass that separated them from the rest of the base where his trinemates were waiting for him anxiously, but he stopped when he reached Megatron who was sitting on the berth next to Astrotrain's. The Decepticon leader still refused to lie down, even though he felt himself weakening, too, and he wore an unreadable expression as he stared at Astrotrain, his optics bright with fever.

"How are you?" Starscream asked and the leader snapped his head up as if he had just noticed his second standing beside him.

Megatron shrugged and winced as the movement sent a wave of pain down his backstrut, "I'm overheating. It still hurts. And you? You didn't even let Hook examine you."

"I've already examined myself." Starscream murmured, crossing his arms across his chest.

Megatron raised an optical ridge, "And?"

Starscream vented with a scowl and pointed down on his thigh, Megatron leant closer to see the already brownish small spot on the otherwise shiny red plate around the Seeker's waist. The leader of the Decepticons sighed, "Starscream... are you sure you can handle this now that you're ill, too? We should contact Shockwave—"

"I have everything under control, Megatron." the air commander huffed, "I'll figure out what it is without that drone's help, thank you."

With that, he left the Gunformer and walked up to the glass. Skywarp hurried over eagerly and pressed himself to the glass while Thundercracker stood behind him with a worried frown as his optics roamed over Starscream's form.

"Star!" the purple Seeker exclaimed, "What happened? What's this Cosmic Rust?"

Starscream frowned in confusion, "Cosmic Rust?"

"Soundwave said that's what it's called."

"Starscream," Thundercracker spoke up in quiet worry, "are you infected, too?"

Fear gripped their sparks when their trine leader nodded without a word. The red Seeker looked down as if he was ashamed of something and shifted on his thrusters, "But I'm alright. I'm... feeling well, and I'll work on this matter. I have to stay here, but you must carry out your duties in my absence. I don't know how long it'll take, but I won't let it take me down."

"We know you won't, Screamer. You'll win." Skywarp grinned, but his smile faded, "Just promise you'll be alright."

"He means," Thundercracker stepped closer, "that you won't overwork yourself, and listen to Hook and the others."

"Right, right." Starscream waved his hand, "And where's Soundwave gone? I requested a datapad from him."

"He's over there with Rumble." Skywarp pointed over to a berth where the third-in-command had taken his cassette. They were still sitting there, Rumble leaning to Soundwave's side, he pressed himself to the larger mech's frame and was still shuddering sometimes, especially when he looked at Astrotrain. He was afraid, it was clear, and Starscream sighed. He had never been on the best terms with Rumble, but he could sympathize with the Cassetticon - Astrotrain's cry of pain and the quick decrease in his condition scared him, too, and it must have terrified the mini-con.

"Go, tend to your duties." the Seeker told his trine, "I'll be alright."

Before he went to prepare the growth media for the microbe cultures, he went over to Soundwave. He could still see coolant trails on Rumble's face even though the mini-mech had stopped crying, his visor looked dimmer and Starscream frowned. He nodded to Soundwave in greeting, then crouched down and put a hand on Rumble's knee joint. He could feel that the small Cassetticon's frame was warm, though still not to the extent of Megatron's.

"Soundwave," Starscream turned up to the tape decker, "where's the datapad I asked for?"

Soundwave pointed to the nightstand next to the berth and Starscream nodded before turning back to Rumble, "Has anyone examined you yet?"

Rumble shook his head. "And you?"

Starscream pressed his lips together. Seeing that the three Constructicons were still busy with Astrotrain and Megatron, whose temperature had risen considerably again, instead of an answer, he patted the cassette's knee and tried to make his voice as gentle as possible, "I'll examine you. Come, sit here."

Rumble looked up at Soundwave uncertainly, his creator nodded to him and he moved to the edge of the berth. His small frame was still trembling and he fought the urge to fold his arms around himself again now that he lost the warmth of Soundwave's embrace. The communications officer stayed quiet as he watched Starscream lift his creation's head to look over the sides of his face and neck cables. Rumble fidgeted nervously, it was hard to stay still when the Seeker's fingers moved down to his shoulders and chest, the large mech took his left arm into his hands. He wasn't used to this kind of treatment, only Soundwave and his fellow creations had ever touched him like this.

"Starscream," they heard Soundwave's monotone voice speak up next to them, "scientific assistance and proper medical care are recommended."

"There's nothing Hook and the others can't handle." Starscream answered, "And this is organic infection, which I had previously researched. It's not something they teach at medical schools. Trust me, I'll figure it out. Every organism can be killed off, I'll just have to find... the proper... solution."

His voice quieted down as he raised up Rumble's right arm above his head; the same spot that he had found on his waist was there on the inside of the mini-mech's arm, just above his armpit. He heard Rumble whimper and Soundwave pulled his cassette back to his side. Starscream sighed - all of them were infected, even though Rumble hadn't touched the asteroid chunk. The microbes spread upon contact, which meant they had to keep up the quarantine.

The mini-mech's processor swam, more coolant threatened to fall down his face. He was infected with something that made Astrotrain, a big, strong Decepticon scream in pain and delirious with fever, something that made Megatron, leader of all Decepticons too weak to stand - what would it do to him? Rumble had never been seriously ill before, just some system virus that could easily be overridden, this uncertainty and the prospect of all of them wasting away in rust was utterly terrifying.

He clutched his mid-section as nausea gripped his tanks, he didn't remember being so scared of anything like that before.

"Rumble," Soundwave's voice reached his audios, "are you in pain?"

The mini-con pushed himself up from his creator's lap with shaky hands, "'m feelin' sick."

"Will you purge?" Starscream asked with a worried frown and Rumble nodded. Soundwave scooped him up and escorted him to the nearest wash racks with Starscream following close behind.

The air commander, for a moment, couldn't decide what had him worried so much; the worsening state of his comrades or his own fear of falling to the same fate he had witnessed so fast on the others. He didn't know if it was the need to save himself or to help them that drove him trying to be everywhere, trying to take control in every way he could. He listened to Rumble's deep vents, Soundwave still hadn't let go of him when he leant over the waste receptacle, as if he was afraid the little 'con would fall if he did.

Starscream was sure that one of his own trine would be just as willing to support him. Soundwave always seemed to be emotionless, but the way he stroked the young cassette's back when he finally started purging told enough of the patient and caring love he held for them. They were his everything, Starscream knew. He would have been the same had it been one of his trine mates.

Rumble was still shaking in Soundwave's arms, intakes hitching and the light in his visor dimmed even further. At Starscream's comm., Hook entered the wash racks with a medical grade cube in his hand and took the Seeker's place next to Soundwave and Rumble after Starscream left. Rumble grimaced when he saw the energon Hook offered him, but the bigger Decepticon grabbed his hands and placed the cube in them.

"Drink it." Hook told him, "You'll overheat quicker if your tank is empty. We don't want you going into stasis lock."

The mini-mech forced down two gulps of the medical grade and leant back to Soundwave, already feeling like he would purge again. Hook put a hand on his shoulder to feel his temperature, "Let's go lie back down and drink the whole cube slowly. Soundwave, thank you for your help, you can go back to your duties. We'll handle this."

"Rumble's emotional state is unstable. It can affect his physical condition. My presence is soothing for him. I would like to stay."

Hook sighed, "I know you wouldn't be in the way, but since both Megatron and Starscream are out for the time being, you are in charge."

Soundwave did not say anything to that. He was aware of that, of course, but he couldn't help the strong desire to stay with his creation as he held Rumble's trembling body to his. He also had to inform his other cassettes of their brother's condition; he already knew Frenzy would be hard to console, would want to see and be with his twin. Soundwave decided to stay with Rumble until he calmed down and his condition was stabilized, then go back to the monitors and make the reports—

At that moment, Rumble's small body convulsed in a choking cough, a hand shot to his mouth, but that couldn't stop the violent heave his tank made. Energon splattered to the ground between his fingers, the Cassetticon was held by two pairs of strong arms as he purged, he retched until there was nothing left in his tank. Pain flared through his chest and white static burst in his vision, the last thing he felt was someone wiping the unprocessed energon from his face before his processor locked up in emergency stasis.

And Soundwave felt his spark crash.

* * *

Starscream sighed in relief when he saw that Skywarp and Thundercracker were gone. The worry he felt from them through their trine bond was enough, he didn't want to see their anxiety for him. It would have been much harder to work like that, and he trusted Thundercracker to calm the purple Seeker, too, and persuade him to listen to Starscream in this situation.

He glanced at Astrotrain and Megatron - the triple-changer seemed to be in recharge now that the sedative had finally worked in his systems while the latter returned his gaze with a questioning look. Megatron did not seem as overheated and dazed as before, but he barely moved and his hand returned to clutch his shoulder again. Starscream, for the time being, ignored him and went over to Rumble's berth to pick up the datapad Soundwave had brought him.

The air commander was sure his comrade made him a full report, he had always been thorough and precise, a trait that annoyed him most of the time when it came to Megatron's approval, but now he was grateful for that. He read through the descriptions the ancient scientists had made, reports from autopsies of victims, symptoms, the structure of the cells, their extremophile nature and long viability, their quick mutation rate and the methods they tried to wipe the germs out...

Starscream found himself taking deep vents, his body trembled with the wild beats of his energon pump. He lowered the datapad and stared into space as the last line of the report kept flashing before his optics, burning itself into his very core like a deadly curse;

Number of survivors: 0

When Hook rushed out of the wash racks with an unconscious Rumble in his arms, sticking energon and nutrient IVs into his ports and pressing ice packs to his chest and head while Soundwave stood at the side like a frozen statue, Starscream ran to an enclosed area in the repair bay where Thundercracker had gathered his laboratory equipment. He willed his hands to stop shaking as he poured the agar powder into the dishes to make the necessary growth media for the microbes, trying to concentrate and swallow down the fear that shook his spark.

There was no more time to waste.


	3. Chapter 3

Ravage sighed tiredly, wondering whether he should try again to calm down his fellow cassette. Frenzy kept pacing nervously in their quarters, hands pressing to his chest as if he was in pain, but Ravage knew there was nothing wrong with the mini-mech's spark. It was the crazy storm of emotions, the wild grasp of fear that rushed through the bond from Rumble, to Frenzy it must have been even more intense. But what frightened him the most was when it all came to an abrupt end; they hadn't felt Rumble since then.

Ravage jumped down from Soundwave's berth in alarm when he saw Frenzy sit down on the ground and hands fall to his lap. Laserbeak flew to his side as well, Ravage nuzzled the red twin's face. He sent soothing waves through their bond, but it seemed to have no effect on Frenzy.

"He must be injured..." the mini-mech muttered, "They must have been attacked... it must be bad... why would Soundwave close the bond from us?!"

:: _So we wouldn't worry._ :: Laserbeak said through their comm. and brushed her wing to Frenzy's arm.

"But this... this is not the way!"

:: _Calm down now, little brother_.:: Ravage said and nuzzled Frenzy's hands so he would let go of his chest, :: _Our creator will be coming soon, he'll tell us what happened to Rumble. Rumble is strong, so whatever it is, I'm sure he'll be alright._ ::

All three of them turned to the door when it opened to reveal Soundwave. The Decepticons' communications officer couldn't take more than two steps into their quarters when a small body collided with his and he looked down to see Frenzy wrapping his arms around his waist. His other creations got up as well, though they didn't rush up to him, just waited for him to come in. They gasped a little when Soundwave opened up the bond, he tried to send reassurance to them, but couldn't stop his exhaustion seeping through.

Frenzy looked up at him, he didn't have to say anything - Soundwave understood his concern perfectly and he led all his creations to the couch. They sat in silence for a while, Frenzy fidgeted next to the tape decker impatiently, but didn't dare speak up first. Soundwave must have been collecting his thoughts, and he didn't want him to be angry for interrupting him.

"I am sorry I closed down our bond," Soundwave finally began, his monotone voice unusually quiet, "I stayed with Rumble until his condition was stabilized and I had to tend to my duties as well as Megatron and Starscream's. I am in charge of the _Nemesis_ for an unidentified time interval."

"But why?" Frenzy asked, no longer able to hold himself back, "What happened to them? What's wrong with Rumble?"

Laserbeak glared at him, but Soundwave now just put a hand on the small mech's shoulder, "Rumble accompanied Megatron, Starscream and Astrotrain on an expedition to a planet called Antilla. It was an ancient Autobot colony... it turned out its inhabitants were wiped out by an organic infection known as Cosmic Rust. All four of them... are affected."

While he was speaking, Frenzy grabbed onto his arm, and by the time he was finished, he was squeezing it. The young Cassetticon looked distant as he processed the information, Soundwave gave it time to sink in. He felt all his cassettes' fright, but Frenzy's fear was growing more and more dense and the third-in-command could feel panic steadily building in him. He pulled Frenzy to himself, trying to prevent him from going into a full-blown panic attack when he finally understood what Soundwave said.

_"...its inhabitants were wiped out..."_

_"...all four... affected..."_

"A deadly disease?!" Frenzy cried out and pushed himself up from his creator. Ravage sat down in front of him and laid his head on his thighs to try to calm him down - and to calm himself, too.

"Affirmative." Soundwave answered, his voice quiet and soft. Frenzy had just noticed how tired he looked, even with the visor and mask covering his face, his body language revealed enough, and it just served to scare him even more. The tape decker reached out to Frenzy again, slowly, ready to stop if the mini-mech refused, but he let himself be pulled into the embrace.

"And Rumble is sick, too?" Frenzy asked, as if he wanted to hear it out loud, too, from Soundwave; as if that would confirm it being reality.

"Yes."

He shivered in his creator's lap.

:: _How is he?_ :: Ravage asked this time and Soundwave turned his head down towards him.

"I'll give you all information about Cosmic Rust, so you will know what to expect." Soundwave replied, his voice again quieted down when he added, "Rumble started showing classical symptoms of the disease. Decomposition of metal into rust-like substance. His temperature had risen and he had continued tank purges before his systems entered emergency stasis. Hook managed to stabilize him. He is recharging now."

Frenzy pushed himself up again with a blank look on his face, "I want to go see him."

"Entrance is not allowed into the repair bay until the next solar cycle."

Half-expecting this answer, Frenzy slumped back into the couch, burying his face into Soundwave's arm. Rumble's absence just hurt more in the bond now that he knew the reason, and even the room felt colder without his twin by his side.

* * *

By evening, the growth media had solidified and Starscream vented deeply. He made four plates; two of standard Terrestrial medium that the humans made for their own microbial cultures - the seeker did a quick research on what kind of nutrients they used for iron bacteria - and one with their metallic composition for the germs to feed on. Now he only needed the microbes themselves.

He didn't have to go far for a sample, he thought, looking down on his thigh. Now that his processor wasn't so preoccupied, he began to feel a dull ache radiating from the small wound and he winced when he touched the loop to it. It left a burning sensation behind, not particularly painful, but rather irritating. He pushed it away from his mind, though, this small discomfort was still nothing compared to what Astrotrain must have been through. Starscream couldn't keep a shudder from running down his backstrut.

The former scientist streaked the sample from his wound onto the gelatin plate, then wiped the loop clean and repeated the procedure three more times. His cooling fans kicked on, he was starting to overheat, alright, but at least he was ready now; he closed down the dishes and put them in the incubator. It was separated into distinct areas, one Starscream kept on the temperature they lived in on the Nemesis, in the other half of the equipment he turned up the heat. They already knew the microbes could stay dormant in the freezing cold of space, but Starscream wanted to see how they would react to warmth and how warm he could heat them up that even they couldn't stand.

He took deep vents as he switched on the inner cameras of the incubator to keep track of the cultures' developement. He cleaned the tools he used and just as he finished, he felt a large hand rest upon his shoulder and turned around to see Hook standing before him with a small cube of energon in his hands. Starscream accepted it with a curt nod and drank the glowing liquid gratefully.

"How are you feeling?" the Constructicon asked.

"Well enough." the air commander replied, "And the others? Has Rumble awoken yet?"

"He's coming out of recharge, albeit slowly. His energy levels are alright. Astrotrain is stable now and Megatron... well... he seems ready to pass out. I hear your cooling fans are on, too—"

Starscream waved his hand, "I'm ready now, I'll take some rest, don't worry. I'll finish the datapads tomorrow. The computers are monitoring everything here."

As they talked, they slowly made their way over to the berths. The rush that ruled the repair bay when they arrived was over now. Hook spoke again, "You should wash down before you go into recharge for the night. All of you. Maybe the solvents would take away some of the rust."

"Maybe." Starscream nodded. He looked towards Rumble's berth and was relieved to see the Cassetticon was opening his optics. Scrapper stood there next to him, he was unhooking the IVs from his medical ports; Rumble still looked a little dazed and his visor was dim, but Starscream saw he was in good hands for the time being and he instead walked over to Megatron's berth.

The leader of the Decepticons had just laid down on the berth, offlining his optics, his vents let out strange, wheezing sounds with every intake as if something was blocking his filters. Starscream frowned at the sound and noticed another rusting spot on Megatron's side when he leant over him. The Seeker shook the bigger mech gently, but froze in shock when all of a sudden a hand shot to his neck and grabbed his cables.

He didn't dare move as the light in Megatron's optics shone up. The Gunformer still hadn't released Starscream from his grip when he sat up and he pulled his second-in-command down with a growl.

"What do you want?" Megatron hissed and finally let go of Starscream. His vents were expelling hot air forcefully from his systems into Starscream's face and the air commader made a grimace of disgust as he straightened up.

"You should wash down." he growled back, locking his gaze with his leader's feverish optics, "Cold water can do wonders to temper tantrums."

Megatron murmured something and turned to get up from the berth, but pushed Starscream's hand away when he tried to help him. He coughed painfully and grabbed the berth for support, but it seemed he was well enough to walk to the wash racks on his own. Starscream rubbed his temple and shook his head, he really didn't wish to deal with his headstrong leader right now. He smiled a little when he saw Astrotrain was sitting up without help, Hook by his side, and the Seeker made his way over to Rumble, ignoring the pain that shot up from his thigh with every step he took.

Rumble let out a faint groan as his systems came back online. He had a good recharge and he wished he hadn't woken up - heat washed over his body and a queasy ache gripped his energon tank. His memory banks slowly rebooted, too, when he looked around the repair bay and remembered what happened. He saw Scrapper above him and winced when the Constructicon slid an arm behind his shoulders to help him sit up on the berth, he shut his mouth tight as the movement sent a nauseating wave through his frame.

"There you are." he heard Scrapper's voice and Rumble onlined his optics when he felt the sick feeling start to fade, "How do you feel?"

"Like slag." the cassette grumbled and raised a hand to his chest. He could feel his fellow creations, especially Frenzy reaching out to him, wanting to find reassurance from him that he was better, and a shiver ran down Rumble's body when he felt his twin's fear for him.

"Come on now," it was Starscream this time and Rumble looked up to see the Seeker standing on his other side, "I'll help you wash down for the night. Come."

He was pushing him gently to the edge of the berth and Rumble complied, "Where's Soundwave?" he asked faintly and leant to Starscream's side after they helped him down onto the ground.

"Back in your quarters, I guess. He can't stay for the night."

Rumble grabbed onto the Seeker's large hand that he offered him for support and let himself be led into the wash racks. The room was starting to spin again as they walked and the queasy ache returned to his tank. Starscream noticed the mini-con's steps slowing down and his ventilations becoming deeper and he frowned. He hoped the little mech wouldn't get sick again, he really didn't want him going into another stasis lock. That would mean a sleepless night for both him and Soundwave, and the communications officer needed his rest to run the base in their absence.

Megatron merely glanced up when he saw the two of them enter and continued his half-hearted scrubbing on his frame. The coldness of the solvents did help a little, but they didn't take the pain away. Astrotrain, on the other side, looked already tired out, but gave his fellow Decepticons a curious look. "Hey, Screamer, how do you do this?"

Starscream raised an eyebrow, "What?" he asked back.

"Just that you seem... alright. Like you're not infected at all."

The Seeker sighed, "I _am_ infected. It's..." he shrugged, "I guess the preparations took my mind off this. But I'm starting to overheat, too... just for your satisfaction." he shot a dirty glare towards Megatron that the Gunformer returned.

"And what's this sudden change of spark?" Megatron shot back, straightening up.

"What do you mean?" Starscream stood straight, too, and Rumble squeezed his hand when he almost let go of him.

"Why do you care?" Megatron answered with a question, "Before this, you wouldn't care about anyone's well-being other than your own."

Starscream huffed and grabbed a tube of cleanser and a rag, "I am the only one here who has experience in this field, and since I seem to be the least affected, I can lend a hand to the Constructicons. They're mere engineers and mechanics."

"You're trying to play doctor here, but you're no medic either."

"Well, if you would rather I let you alone to your suffering, I shall obey, oh mighty Megatron. Whose idea was it to—"

"Starscream..." Astrotrain's voice echoed through the air, "you should stop."

At that moment, there was a strange, grinding noise and then a splash from his side. Starscream cursed and kneeled down next to Rumble, he held him and tried to rub his back the way Soundwave did. Megatron turned away with a disgusted look while Astrotrain wore a worried frown.

Rumble coughed and let himself be pulled to the Seeker's lap when he sat down on a chair. Starscream turned on the water to wash away the pool of energon the mini-con's tank expelled, the small frame pressed to his own was hot and trembling wildly. He soaked the rag in cold water and pushed it to the back of the Cassetticon's neck.

"Ugh, Starscream," he heard Rumble groan, "why is it... is it the..."

"Yes, these are the disease's symptoms." the air commander of the Decepticons replied softly, "Do you hurt anywhere? Your tank?"

Rumble nodded and whimpered faintly, letting his head fall to Starscream's shoulder. Megatron, meanwhile, had gone out of the wash racks without a word, but Astrotrain stopped before them, leaning to the wall for support, "Starscream... should I call Hook?"

The Seeker nodded and watched the triple-changer strode out to the bay, himself shivering slightly, too. Starscream felt Rumble's body tense in his lap and he looked down on the Cassetticon in alarm.

"Rumble?" he asked, "Hook is coming, try not to go into stasis lock. Soundwave would kill me if I hadn't taken care of you."

"Huh?" Rumble vented deeply, "Why? Why do you..."

Starscream sighed, "Soundwave and I were good friends at the beginning of the war." he replied, "Hard to believe, I know, but we were different then. It was just after you were sparked... he made me promise I would take care of you if something happened to him. Or at least find someone who would. I have changed since then, and I guess Soundwave thinks I've forgotten about it... I'm not good at taking care of others, but I keep a promise. Megatron was... right when he said I'm no medic, but you can come to me while we're here. I'll try to help."

Hook entered the wash racks with a cube in his hands, but he set it aside when he kneeled down before the cassette, "Open up your chest plates. Let me see that tank."

Rumble did as he was told, he winced as a wave of pain shot through his mid-section. His insides looked relatively clean, but Hook's trained optics noticed the discoloration that shouldn't have been there, "It's there on one of the converters on your tank. It must be malfunctioning due to the rusting. According to your datapad, Starscream, it was... expected. As well as the purging of other vital fluids and systems. It will affect all of you sooner of later."

"Can't you replace that converter?" Starscream frowned, his voice rose in volume with his anger.

"We don't have these kinds of parts here." Hook shook his head, "We'll have to contact Cybertron to get them. Now," he grabbed the cube and gave it to Rumble, "drink this. It's low-grade, your tanks should have no problem processing it. Try to keep it down, okay?"

Rumble groaned, but took the cube with shaking hands and Starscream took a deep breathe. Nothing seemed to go well. Nothing.

* * *

The first night in the repair bay was horrible - Starscream knew it would be the longest night cycle in his life the moment he lay down on his berth. He stared at the ceiling, thousands of thoughts running through his processor, his vents were working slowly to cool down his systems. He looked to the side to check on Rumble; the small Decepticon was still sitting on his berth, his legs pulled up to his chest and arms folded over them and he buried his face in his knees. Starscream knew he was still feeling sick, and he hated his inability to do anything to help him. He was used to being in control, but now he couldn't do anything at all.

"Can't recharge?" he heard Astrotrain whispering from his other side and Starscream turned to see the other mech's dimly glowing optics. Megatron was either in recharge or stasis, Starscream couldn't care less at the moment.

"No." he whispered back, "Are you overheating again?"

"Heh," Astrotrain chuckled weakly, "I'm starting to get used to this new temperature. But you haven't taken a moment of rest all day. Aren't you... tired?"

Starscream shrugged, "I'm still too upset to recharge. You want ice packs?"

"Nah, I'll be good." Astrotrain took a deep intake and looked over to Rumble, "And the little guy? His tank still acting up?"

Starscream just nodded and sat up as well. "Will this happen to us, too?" he heard Astrotrain ask.

"Yes," the Seeker replied, "it will. He's smaller, his systems are weaker, that's why it's affecting him as quickly as it does to you... even though he hadn't even touched that chunk."

A sinking feeling settled in his spark. The same will happen to them, too... and when would it happen to him? How long did he have to work it out, how far could he push his body to function properly for him to find the answer to all the questions?

He saw Rumble straighten up and clutch his abdomen, and hurried over to the small mech with a bucket. The Cassetticon stared down at the bottom of bucket, still trying to fight his malfunctioning systems and as much as he didn't want his siblings to feel his fear, he wasn't sure he could control these emotions anymore. How he wished for Soundwave, he was trying to reach out to his creator, but found some solace in leaning to Starscream's warm chassis and listening to his spark.

He would have never thought the world could change so much in such a short time.


	4. Chapter 4

_Starscream sighed deeply and relaxed into his friend's touch. His temperature had gone lower a bit now that they finally stopped for a good night's rest, enough for him to feel like he could go into a peaceful recharge. Especially after a massage like this._

_"It was really clever of you to bring along this stuff." the Seeker said and earned a chuckle from the space shuttle._

_"Better safe than sorry." Skyfire replied, "Remember that planet Virida? That had metal-oxidizing microbes, so I thought they could have evolved elsewhere, too."_

_"True. We have counted twenty species that oxidize either iron or manganese here. Do you think there could be more?"_

_Skyfire hummed and put an arm around Starscream's front, absently pulling him closer to himself. The Seeker's wings trembled a little upon contact with the other's strong frame and he could almost feel Skyfire's chest vibrate with the sound of his voice when he answered, "It is quite possible. This planet's biosphere has already proven to be very diverse. It's a living miracle. Who would've thought carbon-based organics could come in so many forms?"_

_Starscream looked up from his chest to see the shuttle's sparkling blue optics and smiled, "It fascinates you, doesn't it?"_

_"Definitely." Skyfire laughed softly, the Vosian cant floated from his lips like melodies of a song, "It's a pity we have to go back to Cybertron tomorrow. I'd like to return to this planet. I want the two of us to be the first to map and describe it."_

_Starscream smirked, "This is our planet now. We were the first here, and there's no intelligent life form. We have claimed this world and we'll make it our colony. We just have to make sure these bacteria won't harm us."_

_Skyfire turned to the west to watch the goldening sunset. The last rays of the Sun reflected off his white plates and made him look regal and mighty like a heavenly fire god. It made Starscream shiver in happiness that this divine power was his, his protection, his anchor, his intended and he pressed himself even closer to the massive frame._

_"That will be our next project after exploring this planet fully. Describing bacteria that could harm us." Skyfire smiled and moved his big digits down the glass of Starscream's cockpit, "Though these microbes seem harmless. This solution will protect us."_

_The Seeker smiled a little, his olfactory sensors could still pick up its scent on Skyfire's frame. After he was done with him, Skyfire helped him apply it to himself on places he couldn't reach, that resulted in the massage that helped Starscream finally relax under the blossoming tree they chose as a resting place._

_Skyfire sighed and looked down at his friend, "I think we should recharge. We've got a trip to the north pole next cycle before we have to leave to Cybertron."_

_Starscream sat up and turned around. He wore a cheeky smile on his faceplate and pushed his hand to Skyfire's chest, trailing his fingers down to his waist and watched how it made the space shuttle shiver and his optics dim._

_"We have plenty of time until morning." he purred, "No one will see or hear us. Everything is ours here."_

_Skyfire smiled down at his young partner and cupped his beautiful dark face in his large hands, gently pulling him to a kiss. He laid the smaller flier down on the ground and continued kissing him, he felt Starscream smile against his lips and heard him whisper one last word before bliss enveloped them like night the sunlight,_

_"Ours."_

* * *

"Aww, isn't he cute when he makes those little whimpers?"

"Skywarp..." he heard a deep voice from his other side and its owner sighed tiredly, "we should wake him."

"Don't, TC!" it was his other trinemate, now he recognised that voice, "He's just about to overload, it must be such an _extraordinary_ flux..."

Overload?... _WHAT?!_

Starscream's optics snapped online and the masked faces of his trinemates materialized in front of him. He already saw that Skywarp was grinning like crazy while Thundercracker looked both apologetic and relieved to finally see him awake. Starscream sat bolt upright before all his systems could have rebooted properly; the room started spinning wildly and his tank lurched, he retched before he could stop himself.

"No, not you, too!" he heard an irritated Hook and a bucket was shoved in his lap. Starscream clasped a hand over his mouth, but fortunately, the moment was over soon and he took deep vents to steady his systems. His cooling fans were whirring erratically and he just became aware of the burning sensation, the pain that throbbed in his entire frame.

A flux. It was just a memory flux...

Starscream looked around the repair bay. He saw Soundwave was already there with Rumble, he sat on the berth with his cassette curled up in his lap. The mini-mech was awake and sipping slowly from a small cube of low-grade, but what terrified Starscream was a huge spot that almost covered Rumble's entire left side on his waist; it was whitish and transparent with a defined line, its center was already a light brown and darkening to the outside. He was using his left arm and Starscream could only imagine what his right arm, where he found the first sign of rust on him, must have looked like.

He turned to the other side where Astrotrain and Megatron lay. Scavenger was kneeling next to Astrotrain's berth and was cleaning up energon the triple-changer must have purged; the big Decepticon looked both embarrassed and dazed with fever, Scrapper was standing on his other side, trying to lower his temperature with ice packs, he had already inserted an IV into his medical port. The rust-like substance seemed to have grown on him, too, but before Starscream could have studied him further, a hacking cough tore his attention to Megatron.

For a moment, it sounded like the Gunformer was choking, but it soon came to an end and left the leader gasping for air. Starscream was sure the infection reached his vents and was turning his filters to rust slowly and painfully.

After seeing all this and feeling all the heat and pain in his own body, Starscream didn't even dare look down upon himself.

"W-What happened...?" Starscream asked after a while, wincing at how sore his vocals felt, "How did you get here?"

Skywarp immediately replied, "You know, we walked down here, got these overall-things on us and came in to stand guard next to your berth while you were sunk in your nasty little fantasy world."

"Skywarp!" Thundercracker snapped at him, shutting up his purple trinemate.

"Thank you." Starscream whispered and buried his face in his palm, "I mean, why are you here? You have duties."

"We wanted to see you." Thundercracker replied, his voice was unusually quiet, "How are you?"

Starscream sighed, "I'm just... tired." he lied. He hardly had any recharge all night cycle and he felt like the Cassetticon twins were pounding on his head with their piledrivers. It was just now, in the morning that he dared leave Rumble's side long enough to fall into a much needed recharge.

He remembered that night with Skyfire and wished with all his spark that he hadn't. That was the last night they spent together, the next day they visited the Arctic to get a sample from those cryophilic snow algae that could grow even in cold like that - it was then that the storm separated them, buried Skyfire in ice so deep that no one could find him for millions of years. The Seeker didn't want to relive that and yet...

They wanted to describe all these bacteria that could cause potential harm to Cybertronians, after they finished mapping the Earth. That was to be their next big project, after all, one of their favourite specialties were organic microbes. Skyfire always said how much the Science Academy would approve, the credit would have been theirs for all the discoveries and reports and even the medics could have used them to work on solutions for infections. But all was forgotten in Starscream's frantic search for his partner, his best friend and intended bondmate, in his devastation upon Skyfire's loss and then the first outbreaks of the rebellion - Megatron's offer and his acceptance to leave science to be a Decepticon soldier.

Yet, the flux must have been triggered by something. That solution they used to prevent infection from those Terrestrial iron bacteria... what was it...?

_The microbes!_

"What time is it?!" he exclaimed, not even bothering to check his own chronometer.

"One joor until mid-day." Thundercracker answered him.

"You overslept, Screamer." Skywarp added, and at that moment, Rumble spoke up for the first time in a raspy, tired voice,

"Because he was helpin' me all night while I puked my tanks out."

Soundwave winced under his mask at the crude human words, but he glanced up in surprise at the second-in-command. He would've never thought the Seeker still remembered his promise, or that he'd be willing to help the cassette when he himself was getting worse, too. Their gazes met with Starscream and Soundwave nodded to him in thanks, pulling his tremblings creation closer to himself.

Starscream meanwhile climbed down from the berth and gritted his dentas when sharp pain shot up from his leg. That was when he looked down on himself; the brown spot on his thigh grew significantly and there was one on his abdominal plating and one more on his right shoulder. He pressed his lips tightly together and shut his optics when he felt coolant gather in them.

"Star..." Thundercracker put a hand on his wing, meant to calm him down, but it sent another wave of pain through his sensory net.

"I must check on the cultures." Starscream waved him off and started limping towards his little personal lab. His pelvic joint squeaked and burnt, for the moment the Seeker felt like his leg would give out under him, but still no one could stop him.

Starscream picked up the dishes from the incubator. Two of them, the ones he filled with elements of their metals were almost full, while the two he made for standard terrestrial iron bacteria had hardly any cultures.

"They're not like the ones we studied with Skyfire." he murmured, knowing that his trinemates followed him, "These only thrive on our metals. On living metal."

"Starscream, please, refuel first. You're shaking."

The air commander ignored the blue Seeker and downloaded the records from the cameras of the incubator. Even those he put in heat survived and thrived. No cold nor warmth killed them. Neither did radiation or lack of air - though it seemed they grew quicker now that they were in an oxygen-rich atmosphere.

"There sure is a way to eliminate them." Starscream mumbled to himself, "They are organic in nature. I'll start sequencing their genome."

"But, Screamer—"

"It won't take long!" Starscream snapped, "We wrote a program for this with Skyfire, I just have to install it on the computer. Everything will be ready in less than two joors."

He sat down to work on the computer; he finished the program in a few klicks and he set it to work immediately. He felt someone push an ice pack to the back of his neck and Starscream sighed. It was a welcome relief from the fever and he leant back to the touch. He saw Thundercracker above him and sent a small, grateful smile to his wingmate.

"Could you clean these out, please?" the red Seeker gave his elder trinemate the two almost empty dishes and he prepared new ones to make plates.

"You want to grow more?" Skywarp asked, surprised.

"Of course." Starscream took a deep vent, "I need to find out what kills them and I need more than one sample for that."

Megatron's painful cough interrupted them and Starscream felt his spark quiver. The Gunformer didn't sound this bad during the night, though he didn't pay much attention then - still, every cough sent shivers down Starscream's backstrut. Skywarp caressed the tip of his wing to soothe him and the trine leader took a wavering breath.

"Your flux..." he heard the younger Seeker and looked up at Skywarp, "Was it about him?"

He didn't have to say who. Starscream nodded slowly, "About... our last night."

He shook his head as Thundercracker returned and took his place by his right wing, "We used a solution... to prevent infection from native microbes. Something that killed them off, but did not harm us."

Thundercracker put his hand on Starscream's wing, making the air commander wince again, "Some kind of alcohol or peroxide?"

"I thought about that." Starscream murmured, he was taking deep vents that sent tiny tremors through his frame, "But those would corrode us further... not to mention our protoformal systems. And these microbes... they adapt too quickly..."

_Adaption..._

"Starscream," Hook came up behind them with a cube of energon in his hand, "you need to refuel. Don't you feel sick?"

Starscream shook his head, still deep in thought and took the cube from the Constructicon. "Come back to your berth," Hook continued, "we need to lower your temperature. I'll give you painkiller."

The Seeker let himself be escorted back to his berth, all the while sipping slowly from the low-grade, he grimaced at the taste. The computer was working and he'd be further along once he knew what made up those microbes and he would start applying chemicals to see what could kill them off - he wanted to try to remake the solution they used with Skyfire. Starscream was sure this flux was some kind of message, if only he remembered what exactly made up that solution...

But just Skyfire knew that... and the knowledge was lost with him...

However...

Starscream hissed when Hook injected the nanites into his medical port on his arm. Thundercracker and Skywarp still stood by his sides and Starscream reached out his hands to them. Each took a hand and the air commander let himself be comforted by their touches and the reassurance they sent through the trine bond. They wouldn't leave him alone, and Starscream relaxed a bit.

"You have to go now." he said, though he was a bit reluctant to let go of their hands, "Report back to me in the evening, and... don't worry. I'll be alright here."

"Can't we stay a little longer?" Skywarp whined.

"No." Hook shook his head, "Blitzwing has already been waiting for half a joor now to come in to Astrotrain. Go now."

"And don't you teleport!" Starscream turned to the purple Seeker, releasing his hand, "Wash down thoroughly after you left. Thundercracker, you know you are in charge of the Seekers while I'm ill."

Thundercracker, his Right Wing just nodded, raised Starscream's hand to his face and grabbed Skywarp's arm to leave the repair bay. Starscream got up from the berth, ignoring the dizzy spell that overtook his processor for a moment and walked over to Rumble and Soundwave, sitting down. He put a hand on the Cassetticon's back now out of habit.

"Is everything alright in the Base?" the air commander asked Soundwave and the tape decker nodded.

"Affirmative. Thank you... for taking care of Rumble."

Starscream nodded, "Who's at the monitors now?"

"Frenzy. I sent a troop to forage for energon, arrival approximately in one joor." Soundwave stopped for a moment before he continued, "Frenzy requested a visit to see Rumble."

"Of course." Starscream shrugged, "He can come whenever he wants. Just make sure someone is always at the monitors." he took a deep vent, "The computers are working on sequencing the microbes' genome. Once I see that, I'll be able to come up with something that can destroy their essential genes and can be applied to us. Unless other methods fail... I won't give up, Soundwave."

The stoic mech just stared at him for a while before he spoke, "Starscream... your condition is deteriorating. Assistance is recommended—"

"I'm alright." Starscream waved him away, "You just make sure the Base is running. That's your main priority. And... don't worry about Rumble. We take care of him."

Soundwave did not say anything. No, he would never stop worrying about his creation, and about the other cassettes, too, not to mention his fellow officers - that combined with the responsibility of running the Base left him more scared than he would admit. What he wanted most was to stay with Rumble all day and night and oversee everything that was done to him; but he already had to leave to supervise the energon storage and make reports.

He felt Rumble fidget in his lap and let go of the mini-con. Rumble's colours looked dimmer and he rested his right arm in his lap - Starscream could see now how much it was covered in the rusty substance. Rumble hunched over in pain, clutching his mid-section and groaned weakly.

"You okay?" Starscream asked him, frowning. He knew from the night's experience that the rusting converter on his tank made him constantly nauseous, and they could do nothing to change it.

"Jus'... need ta go to the wash racks." Rumble mumbled and pushed himself to the edge of the berth. Soundwave helped him climb down and Starscream got up, too, to go back to check on the cultures.

They heard a splatter first and Starscream whirled around just in time to see Rumble look down on his legs with a horrified expression and Soundwave picked him up immediately; the next moment, they were gone in the nearest wash racks.

"What happened?" asked Scrapper from Astrotrain's berth.

"Nothing." Starscream mumbled and pulled out the curtain that separated Rumble's berth from the others.

"Starscream—" he heard Megatron speak and the Seeker turned around angrily.

"Nothing!" he had to take deep vents to calm his overheating systems and overcome the sudden dizziness. Hook hurried over to Starscream and steadied him.

"What is it?" he whispered and the air commander pointed down on the small puddle on the floor.

"He leaked." he answered, "But it's... something is wrong. It's not just transmission fluid..."

"No," Hook said grimly, "energon, coolant and oil. Starscream, something is broken in him. It's eating him away..."

"All of us." Starscream swayed, offlining his optics and continued to vent deeply, his voice sounded fainter when he continued, "Call the Insecticons."

With that, fever and fatigue overcame him and he crumbled to the ground. Hook caught him just in time and together with Scavenger they hauled the unconscious Seeker back on his berth, one stuck an IV into his medical port while the other fetched ice packs to cool him down.

Just as they attended to Starscream, Megatron grabbed Scrapper's arm from behind. The Constructicon jumped in fear and spun around to the Gunformer. Megatron's optics were bright with fever and, through forced intakes, he growled to the gestalt leader,

"Call Shockwave. Now."


	5. Chapter 5

Rumble didn't remember the last time he had felt such striking, solid fear. It wasn't like a battle where he would go willingly, sometimes even enthusiastically, knowing full well the risks and the possibility that he might not come back alive. But this - this was something he had never experienced before.

The Cassetticon clutched Soundwave's shoulders as the bigger mech crouched down before him in the wash racks, his hands squeezed hard as if he was holding on for dear life. His processor span and his intakes were still hitching, though no coolant rose in his optics, he was still too shocked for that. He was well aware of what happened, aware of the fluids still dripping from his legs and aware that Soundwave was talking to him, mumbling comforting words to him, but he couldn't comprehend them. Soundwave closed the bond from him, probably to hide his fear, but Rumble couldn't do that, he let go of his shock, fear, shame and confusion, but most of all, the pain.

The pain... he felt like his insides were on fire and his tanks were rolling cruelly, he already felt energon hit the back of his throat. The liquid was burning his esophaegal tube and the taste was different, like when he got hit in the face in a battle - not the low-grade he was made to drink, but processed energon. Something must have been broken in him, that was for sure and it made him tremble even more.

Soundwave hugged him tighter and Frenzy sent him a questioning ping through their bond. Rumble could feel he was scared, too, but he couldn't answer. The mini-mech buried his face in his creator's shoulder when he felt coolant finally pool in his optics, Frenzy's fright added to his own fear pushed him over the edge. He couldn't even hear the wash rack's door open and barely felt another, gloved hand rest on his shoulder. Soundwave pushed him gently away to sit upright which just made the burning sensation in him intensify.

"Rumble... can you hear me?" Hook asked him, trying to get the Cassetticon to straighten up.

"It hurts..." Rumble whimpered, he didn't wipe away the coolant from his face, "Where's S-Starscream?..."

"He passed out." the Constructicon answered, "Lack of recharge. Rumble, only me and Starscream know what happened, and it will stay between us—" Rumble groaned and looked down, but Hook caught his chin and pulled his head up to look in his optics, "but it's not that simple. What you leaked contained energon and oil, and I see you're in great pain. The microbes must have spread in your systems and I need to see the damage. Open your plates."

Rumble did as he was told, and Hook tried not to wince at what he saw. No wonder it hurt so much; the rust on his converter spread, reached other converters, tubes and cables and there were spots and a crack on his waste tank; other holding tanks and his energon pump seemed to be unaffected yet. Hook saw Soundwave turn away from the corner of his optics and he understood why - the mini-con was rusting away inside and out, faster than they expected.

"Rumble, listen to me," Hook closed his plates manually, "That converter on your energon tank is useless now, we'll have to take it out before it causes further damage. That's why you're feeling sick all the time. We may also have to remove your waste tank, we'll insert catheters to the feeding lines - the waste tank is cracked and the contents may leak out into your abdominal cavity. We'll also have to cut off rusting tubes and cables and reconnect with others or insert deflector tubes."

"Meaning," Soundwave spoke up for the first time, "large scale catheterizations and deflections are needed to maintain proper fluid circulation and avoid leakage as well as removal of parts; an operation?"

"Yes," Hook nodded, "I'll call the others and we'll take him to the operating table."

Rumble's intake hitched, "N-no..."

"It's not a 'yes or no' situation, Rumble." Hook stood up and folded his arms across Rumble's middle to lift him up, "We have to do it now. It will only get worse."

The cassette shook his head frantically and pushed Hook away, fresh coolant gathered in his optics. His features contorted in a grimace, he hunched over and retched, light blue energon trickling down his chin. He wasn't aware that his creator's hands on his side and shoulder began trembling slightly.

"Soundwave," Hook called to him gently, "Scrapper just told me to tell you to call in Shockwave. Starscream also said, before he collapsed, that we should call the Insecticons. I have no idea why, but... you must go now. You have to decide what to do."

Soundwave didn't move for a moment, then nodded slowly. Calling Shockwave was a sensible idea, he could get parts and medication from Cybertron, and he himself used to be a scientist, too. They should have called him down to Earth sooner. As for the Insecticons... yes, Bombshell had some engineering knowledge, but otherwise Soundwave saw no reason in summoning the untrustworthy ex-Decepticons. What could have Starscream wanted?

Hook put a hand on Soundwave's arm to get him to let go of Rumble. Soundwave reluctantly did so and watched as Hook lifted his creation to his lap and walked out with him carefully to take him to the operation room.

"No!" Rumble cried out and trashed weakly in Hook's arms, his voice high with fear and desperation, "Soundwave! Starscream! Nooo!"

"Sedate him!" Hook called to the others and all three Constructicons were soon gone with his cassette. Soundwave just stood at his berth rigidly, his hands balled into fists. He was once again grateful for his mask and visor - no one could see his own anxiety flashing through. Rumble had always been afraid of medical procedures and avoided letting anyone but Soundwave tend to his wounds as long as he could.

Seeing the extent of damage the organic infection had caused in his internal systems made Soundwave agree with Hook that immediate intervention was needed. But seeing - and feeling - Rumble's distress was almost too much. Was he—... no, he couldn't be losing him. But that rust looked so _bad_...

Soundwave took deep vents and turned to the exit. He had work to do. Call Shockwave. But... the Insecticons? He again grew uncertain as he glanced over at the second-in-command's still form on his berth. Starscream had valuable knowledge on these organic lifeforms, he took care of the others, especially Rumble, when no one asked him and his determination was to be admired. The tape decker thought maybe he should trust him to know what he was doing and if he thought calling the Insecticons might help solve their problems, Soundwave had to support him.

And anyway, what was the worst that could happen? The Insecticons refusing to come, or just simply leave them with nothing. Perhaps demand energy from them for their help. Soundwave didn't care anymore. He had to try anything that could help them save his Rumble...

* * *

Deep within the buried core of the Ark, Teletraan-I flickered to life and the gentle tenor of the computer called out to the Autobot leader,

"Incoming message from Cybertron to Optimus Prime. Incoming message from Cybertron to Optimus Prime."

"Optimus!" Blaster shouted from the monitors, "Elita's calling ya!"

Optimus walked out of the rec. room with a shake of his head while the others snickered behind him, "What makes you think it's her?"

Blaster smirked, "Well... who else would be calling you from Cybertron?"

Ratchet snorted, "Go, Optimus, answer it already."

Ever since they re-discovered them on Cybertron, contact had been established with the femme soldiers. They were all skilled spies and fighters and were essential in monitoring Decepticon activity on their home planet. And, with that, the number of calls they received had increased, but Optimus was not the only one; Ironhide and Chromia could spend hours talking to each other, once they even missed a distress call because of them. And even though Optimus could see her as often as he wanted now, a surge of excitement ran through his circuits every time he got to talk to his long-lost mate.

When Elita's face appeared on the screen, for a minute, they just watched each other. Every time, for a moment, Optimus felt like they were young again and he took in the femme's features, the way her optics softened and her whole frame seemed to relax and the Autobot leader let himself smile behind his mask.

"Elita," the femme's name on his lips was whispered like a blessing to an angel, "has something happened?"

Elita One nodded and stood straight, "Shockwave has been preparing the space bridge. This time, he will not only send supplies and energon, but he himself will travel to Earth, too."

"What?!" Jazz exclaimed.

"He has never come to Earth before..." Mirage mused as the others started gathering around the monitors, too, their interest perked up by Elita's news.

"What supplies will he send?" Optimus asked, turning back to the femme. Elita shook her head.

"We don't know." she answered, "But according to Moonracer, they didn't look like weapons. Still, Optimus... be prepared. If Megatron called Shockwave personally... he must be planning something big."

"Right." Optimus turned to the Autobots gathered around him, "Bumblebee, Hound and Beachcomber, you shall go and investigate. Do not interfere, unless absolutely necessary. Seaspray, you follow them underwater to the Nemesis, but be careful not to be noticed."

"You underestimate me, Prime." Seaspray chuckled and the four Autobots moved to the exit. Optimus look after them with growing worry in his optics. He knew they could take care of themselves, but these news were still unsettling.

"What could have Megatron come up with this time?" Ironhide asked and Optimus shook his head softly.

"I have no idea, old friend."

* * *

Starscream came around to a faint groan from his side. This time, he let his systems reboot properly before he onlined his optics - he did not have any fluxes, for which he was grateful. He took a deep vent when he remembered what happened and according to his chronometer, he had been in emergency stasis for a joor. He overheated and was low on energy, he told himself. No, it had nothing to do with his condition. He could still work, he was sure of that.

"Alright, focus, Starscream." a familiar voice told him and he saw Scrapper stand above him. Starscream pushed himself up and grasped his leg when a sharp wave of pain washed through it.

"Energon." he rasped and was soon offered a cube of medical grade. He drank its contents in quick gulps and stood up carefully from the berth. He pressed his lips together tightly to hold back a grunt when the burning pain in his leg increased as he put weight on it.

"You should rest some more, Starscream." Scrapper said and put his hands on the Seeker's shoulders, "You hardly recharged all night, don't push yourself."

"I'm alright now, Scrapper. Just needed some energon." he looked to the side to Rumble's berth and saw the mini-con lying there, it seemed he was just coming online as well. He was dazed and taking deep vents, tubes were hanging out of his mid-section and arm, leading fluids away or into his systems. His visor had been taken away and his optics shone a deep, feverish red.

"How's he?" Starscream asked and walked over to the Cassetticon. Rumble turned his head slowly and looked up at him.

"He was sedated, it's just wearing off." the Constructicon explained, "We had to remove a converter and the waste tank, as well as some tubes and cables. We'll examine all three of you to see the extent of internal damage."

"I'm only overheating a bit. My leg hurts, but nothing else." Starscream murmured and sighed, "If you must make that examination, leave me for last. I have work to do."

"S-Starscream..." he heard Rumble whisper and the Seeker leant down to the younger mech and put a hand on his head, the need to take care grew strong in him again, "Where's Soundwave?"

"Tending to his duties." Scrapper answered him.

"How are you feeling?" Starscream asked.

Rumble groaned and shifted weakly, frowning when the familiar queasy ache washed over his frame, his processor was still foggy from the sedative, "Hot."

Scrapper brought him a smaller ice pack and lifted the cassette's head up to put it under his neck. "Would you like some energon?"

Rumble shook his head, but his gaze was fixed on the glass that separated the bay from the outside world. "Frenzy..."

Starscream turned around, too, and saw the mini-mech twin press himself to the glass, his expression looked like that of a scared youngling. Scavenger walked up to him and showed him how to get on the coverall and mask and led him up to Rumble's berth. That was the first time since they left Antilla that Starscream saw a small smile on the purple Cassetticon's face, while on the other hand, Frenzy looked even more horrified when he saw his brother up close.

He started reaching out to Rumble, but froze and looked up at Scrapper with wide optics, "Can I... Can I touch him?"

"Yes, you can."

Frenzy then leant down to his other half and enclosed him in his arms carefully, he hardly dared hug him to himself. Rumble leant on the other mini-mech and went lax in his arms, he made no effort to get back up when Frenzy slowly straightened up. The red and black cassette refused to let go of him, and he was visibly fighting with himself, trying to hold back coolant from pouring down his face. Frenzy felt a hand sluggishly tug at the base of his neck, wanting to touch his face, but couldn't from the mask.

"Hey, you can cry, bro'." Rumble muttered to him quietly, "I did, too."

Starscream looked surprised at this, but Frenzy let his shoulders drop and pressed his forehead to his brother's head. The Seeker was sure they had talked through it within their bond, sharing thoughts and feelings they couldn't express with words. Must have been like the trine bond, Starscream thought - just, maybe, even stronger. They were split spark twins, two halves of a whole, like sparkmates. The only difference was that while split-spark twins were one spark divided, sparkmates created a new being of the two upon bonding and became halves together of that new entity.

Starscream sighed. He didn't have any doubts that Frenzy could feel every emotion Rumble was feeling, but this connection between them was stronger than he first thought. Yet, Starscream would've never thought Rumble would give this silent permission to anybody to show their fear over him, crying about a fate he himself refused to accept still. When Rumble allowed Frenzy to be weak when he needed support made Starscream's spark tighten. He felt uncomfortable and got up to leave them to have their time together. Who knew if they could have any more chance—

He would work it out.

Starscream limped hurriedly up to Astrotrain's berth. He knew the computer was still working and he thought about organizing all the data he had gathered so far, but first, he wanted to see how his other comrade was doing. The triple-changer onlined his optics when he heard him, he looked rather dazed and Starscream could almost feel the heat radiating from him. There was an IV-line in his arm, he was receiving heavy medication, strong painkiller that made him delirious and his vents were working in deep intakes.

"Hey," Starscream put a hand on his arm and managed a small smile. After all, Astrotrain took great effort in taking them home when he was injured the most and already weakening even before they reached Earth, "why don't you recharge?"

"Don' wanna." Astrotrain mumbled, "Blitzwing jus' went away..."

Hearing that, Starscream smiled. That must have meant he went to pick someone up, otherwise he wouldn't have left his partner's side, and Starscream hoped that someone was Bombshell or all three of the Insecticons. Finally, some improvement.

"Good." Starscream said, "You just rest. Help is coming."

"Help?" Astrotrain frowned and fought back a whimper, "You mentioned the Insecticons... how would they help us?"

"I was wondering about that, too, Starscream." Megatron spoke up, his voice hoarse. He was sitting up almost curled in on himself on his berth, it was easier to breathe that way, and now he gave his second a piercing gaze, "What made you think... you can decide alone in something like this?"

Starscream straightened up and looked down on the Gunformer, "This is all related to the experiment, that's what, mighty leader." he spat, "The Insecticons have been living on Earth for millions of years. Their systems have adapted to this environment. Anyway... you trusted me to be in control of these things, so if you would _please_ , do not question me!"

With that, the Seeker stormed into his little laboratory. He needed to take a few deep vents to calm himself down, his cooling fans kicked on again. He called Hook to bring him energon and he activated the datapads, downloading the findings of the computer and made his own analyses. Now the growth plates had solidified and he began developing new cultures to experiment on while he examined the results he had got so far.

He shook his head before he lost himself deep in his work. He sipped from his energon - low-grade, but he had to deal with it - and leant back in his chair with a sigh. His head was throbbing again and his spark quivered uncomfortably. He offlined his optics, allowing himself a minute of rest when he heard footsteps behind him. It was different from the others and he smiled a little. The Insecticons must have finally arrived—

When Starscream turned around, the smile froze from his face. The one who stood behind him was not the one he expected and a shiver ran down his backstrut when he looked up at Shockwave. The mech's single optic gazed down at him intensely and Starscream stood up, ignoring the pain, to be eye-level with his long time rival.

"What are you doing here?" he growled. Shockwave remained calm and collected before him which just served to further frustrate the Seeker.

"Lord Megatron called for me." Shockwave answered and Starscream's energon pump skipped a beat, "I'm here to relieve you of the research on the Cosmic Rust infection."

" _You_... relieve _me_?!" Starscream screeched and shot Megatron a fiery look that burned with fury. He pushed his way past Shockwave and hurried over to Megatron's berth as fast as his rusting leg could carry him, "How dare you?!" he pointed a finger in Megatron's face, "This research is mine! I'm perfectly capable of working on solving this problem, and you _know_ it!"

"Yes, Starscream," Megatron sounded just as calm as the other Decepticon standing behind him, "you demonstrated that capability by passing out... this morning." the Gunformer stopped for a moment to catch his breath, "You are getting worse, too, and... you can't deny that. And you still haven't come up with anything that could help us."

"The analysis is ready!" Starscream shouted and winced slightly at how sore his vocoder felt, "I was just about to begin sorting out the solutions! And what makes you think this drone could continue it without me?! How dare you take it away from me? How dare you doubt my abilities?! He's not even a scientist anymore!"

"But I used to be one." Shockwave interrupted and Starscream turned around slowly, "I was a renowned scientist before I joined the Decepticons to fight in a war millions of stellar cycles ago, just like yourself, Starscream."

Starscream noticed he was referring to the fact that he himself had not worked as a scientist since joining the war either, but the Seeker's anger drove him. " _Thank you_ for reminding me of that, Shockwave. But tell me if I'm mistaken... your field was astrophysics and engineering, wasn't it?"

Shockwave did not say anything for a moment, then finally answered, "Correct."

Starscream smirked in victory, "Well... mine was astrobiology. _I_ researched organic microbes before. _I_ wrote the programs that can analyze them. You have never studied anything like this before. If I tell you they are facultative anaerobic, extremophile eukaryotes, would you understand that? Or if I tell you they use elements of our metals as prosthetic groups for their proteins as part of their metabolism? That that is not the reason for the rusting, but an acid that is the byproduct of these metabolisms? Hmm? Do you understand _any_ of that?!"

Shockwave stood his gaze, "I learn fast."

The reply was like cold shower down Starscream's frame, and the other continued, "I know you have made datapads on these research—"

"You will have none of them!" the Seeker screeched, his intakes quickened and his cooling fans whined, "I will not allow anyone to—"

"You _will_ , Starscream." Megatron cut him off, "You will show Shockwave all you found so far, and... you must let him take over from you from now on. Be yourself... again, Starscream, and let Shockwave do the work for you."

Dead silence ruled the repair bay. No one dared say anything as the three argued, and all looked at Starscream with wide optics. However, Starscream couldn't care less. He had felt betrayed by Megatron before, but never like this. For him to doubt his scientific expertise... was simply... unacceptable.

"I. will. _not_ be replaced." he growled and leant close to Megatron, no longer fearing his wrath, "Listen to me now, _lord_ mighty Megatron. I am not weak like you. I have not succumbed like you. I will solve this problem, _alone_ , as I told you at the beginning. I will write history here, and no one, not even you, not even this fragging disease can stop me!"

Megatron pushed himself up until his face was inches from Starscream's, "But it will, my dear _second_." he whispered, "And you will listen. Get down from the clouds now, Starscream... and start acting _responsible_."


	6. Chapter 6

"You haven't been recharging." Rumble spoke up. They were calming down a bit now that Starscream and Megatron stopped arguing and the former retreated back to the computers. The purple cassette rested his head on his twin's chest, listening to the hum and feeling the pulsations of his spark. The coolant had long dried from Frenzy's face, and now he was frowning a little.

"What?" he asked back.

"You're tired, I can feel it. So... you not rechargin'?"

Frenzy shrugged, "I was upset when Soundwave told us about you. I felt ya, but... I didn't think it would be... this bad."

Rumble stayed quiet for a while, "Yeah... I'm rusting. They had to take parts outta me. Soundwave was closing the bond from me... that means he's afraid."

Frenzy unconsciously tightened his embrace on his brother, "Yes, he is, but... he's also tired. He has to keep the Base in order an' he worries about ya. He just... doesn't want you to feel all this."

"And... the others?"

"They will come, too." Frenzy replied, "Beaky and 'Saw are out scouting, Ravage is helping with the energon. The Coneheads brought a big load. I was on comm. duty, but Soundwave said I could come down a little."

Rumble nodded and let his head fall back to Frenzy's chest. He felt slightly better and the pain had been dulled thanks to the nanites, but he was still overheating and he could hardly move his rusting arm. The cassette had just noticed how numb it felt and he looked down at his hand, frowning in confusion when he tried to lift it—

...and his optics widened at what he saw. "F-Frenzy..."

Frenzy turned down as well and picked up his twin's hand. The digits were all grey up to their base and they felt especially cold when Frenzy touched them. Recognition hit them at the same time, they both had seen it several times on the battlefield; it was the result of the decay of circuits and energon lines.

Dead metal.

"Starscream!" Hook's voice rang through the bay. Everybody looked towards the glass where four familiar figures stood. Starscream smiled a little in victory when he saw them and walked up to them. Soundwave had led the Insecticons to the repair bay when they arrived and now gestured to Frenzy to come out. Both mini-cons looked at him with pleading optics and Frenzy raised up Rumble's hand for him to see. Soundwave did not move for a moment, then comm.-ed Frenzy, telling - or rather, commanding - him this time to leave the bay and he already went in to get a coverall and mask. Frenzy knew better than to argue and reluctantly let go of his twin to give his place to their creator; Soundwave would not have wanted to scare them, but Frenzy thought he was just as scared, too.

Scared and helpless.

"Soundwave!" Megatron's voice halted the tape decker midway to his cassette, "You obeyed Starscream's order and called these three here without... first discussing it with me?!"

Soundwave turned fully to the Gunformer before he answered, "My apologies, Lord Megatron, but you have not opposed to the idea. I am certain Starscream has a logical explanation. He is working on curing the infection and as such, we must assist him to the best of our abilities."

Starscream looked at him with surprise, but nodded to him in thanks when their optics met. It seemed Soundwave was an ally - his worry and dedication to his creation made him try everything to help.

"Soundwave told us about this Cosmic Rust on the way here, here." Shrapnel crossed his arms across his chest and took a step forward. His optics roamed over Starscream's form, especially his leg and wing, then his gaze stopped on Astrotrain. "We were hoping for a logical explanation, too, too."

Starscream looked back at Soundwave, the third-in-command was already by Rumble's side and examining his arm. The Seeker took a deep vent and limped up to the glass, followed closely by Hook and Shockwave, he leant to the glass to relieve some of the weight from his leg.

"Soundwave then must have told you that it is an organic infection. Our systems have never met anything like this before, but yours... have." Bombshell's optics shone up a little, as if he already knew where the Seeker was going with this. Starscream continued, "Your body must have adapted to this environment in more than just your alternate mode. Your systems came in contact with organic microbes and your nanites must have been modified, too, to fight them off."

There was silence for a while and Starscream watched the three Insecticons intensely. They looked at each other as they all came to understand what the Seeker was requesting from them. After a while, Kickback shrugged and Shrapnel turned to Bombshell. For a moment, it seemed they were communicating without words before Bombshell turned back to Starscream and took a step forward.

"So, you want us as nanite donors." he stated.

"Yes." Starscream nodded, "We'd just draw a few doses. Nothing else."

"Starscream, tell me if I'm not correct," Bombshell crossed his arm, "but from what Soundwave explained, this is not like terrestrial microbes. Even our nanites may be useless against something like this. What makes you think they would cure you?"

Starscream sighed. He knew it would not be easy persuading the Insecticons to help, but his patience was dwindling away quickly especially after their argument Megatron, "Even if they can't cure us, they'd stop the disease or at least halt it until I can come up with something."

"What if our nanites are not even compatible with your systems?"

The Seeker threw up his hands, "We are not _that_ different! You are still Cybertronian. We... have to give it a try!"

"Please, enlighten me, Starscream," he heard Megatron speak up behind him, his tone dripping with sarcasm, and everyone turned to him, "which of us do you... plan to use as a guinea-pig?"

Starscream frowned at the human term, again wondering just how his leader knew of such things, but answered him anyway, "I think we should give the first dose to Astrotrain." he said and looked at the triple-changer, "His condition is severe, he needs it the most."

Astrotrain returned the look through dim, dazed optics. He had not spoken nor moved an inch since Starscream left his berth and the Seeker had to repress a wince at just how _bad_ he looked. All over his frame, there were reddish-brown, darkening or whitish spots and lines, big and small, and even though Astrotrain was lying on his back, Starscream could imagine how his wound must have looked like, especially after seeing Megatron's. However, there was something else that drew the former scientist's attention to the triple-changer's waist, a glimpse of light blue just under him...

"Starscream," Megatron's raspy voice caused him to halt in his steps, "did I not make... myself clear? It is not your... authority to decide—"

"Primus, Astrotrain!" Starscream exclaimed when he realized what it was underneath Astrotrain; a small puddle of energon, just where his wound was. Hook and Scrapper hurried over to the berth and pushed him out of the way, they lifted Astrotrain gently and rolled him to his side to see the wound. The mech did not protest nor helped in the slightest, his legs seemed like they were made of rubber, and Hook had a wild guess why - the hole on his side seemed to have grown as the microbes decomposed the metal around it, and the rust spread all over his lower back. It looked horrible on the outside, and judging from the oily energon that leaked from the wound, it must have been just as bad inside.

"Astrotrain," Scrapper gasped, "why haven't you called us?"

"I... w-why?" the triple-changer whispered, "I can't even feel—... what happened?"

Hook and Scrapper looked at each other. It was all over him, it was impossible for Astrotrain not to feel any kind of pain in his wound. Only if—

"By the AllSpark," Hook's optics widened, "his infrastructure!"

"Is this even possible?!" Starscream asked, terrified. He knew the microbes had a high stress-tolerance, but he thought the reason they did not attack the processor and spark was because of the extreme electrical currents in those regions, and they wouldn't be able to get to the backstruts and central cord because of this either. Maybe they didn't; maybe the acid they produced seeped into the neural circuitry and destroyed it. Either way, one thing seemed to be sure, a grim reality slowly settling in - Astrotrain, one of their strongest mechs, had become disabled and useless.

Starscream received no answer as Scavenger rushed to them with a stretcher and the three Constructicons hauled the triple-changer onto it to wheel him away. Hook gave him a sedative before they were gone to prevent Astrotrain from going into a full-blown panic attack, but Starscream saw a glint of coolant in his optics before the doors closed.

"Well?" Starscream turned slowly back to their leader, breaking the silence, "Astrotrain is crippled now. He won't be able to walk anymore, or how do you plan to get a new backstrut infrastructure for him?! Not even your precious Shockwave could get it from Cybertron!"

"I used to be a neurosurgeon back on Cybertron." Bombshell spoke up for the first time, "I may be able to reconnect the neural lines... though the rust needs to be dealt with first."

"You haven't practiced in seven million stellar cycles, cycles." Shrapnel stepped forward and put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I acted as your medic all this time since we're on this planet." Bombshell turned back to him. Everyone inside the repair bay listened to them with expectant, hopeful optics, no one spoke a word until they decided, and it was Kickback who said it out loud with finality in his tone.

"They can have my nanites. No harm done."

Bombshell turned back to Shrapnel, locking gazes with him and put his hand on the beetle's, again as if they were talking through a bond of some sort, and finally Shrapnel took a deep breath, "You know, know." his vocoder echoed softly and he stepped back as Bombshell looked at Starscream again.

"Alright, you'll get our nanites, and I get to go in and practice my medical skills. That's all I ask."

Starscream let the air out he had been holding in and nodded. Relief washed over him for the first time that day, "You know where the repair storage is. You'll find all the equipment you need there."

Bombshell gave a nod and all three of them left, Starscream trusted Bombshell to know what to do to get the nanites from his teammates. The Seeker leant against the wall and inhaled deeply. He wasn't a fool, he knew even the Insecticons' nanites would probably not be able to kill off the microbes, but he hoped they would at least gain some time with them - time was something they didn't have and couldn't waste right now. With how quickly it defeated their systems, how thoroughly it spread all over them, even the replacements Shockwave had brought from Cybertron wouldn't help much.

They were stronger than he expected. They had crippled Astrotrain, the triple-changer might never be able to stand up again - they were clogging Megatron's vents so much that he was almost literally choking as he coughed up parts of his filters and could hardly get air into his systems. They made Rumble unable to process energon properly and reduced him into the state of a helpless sparkling in mere joors. A shiver ran down Starscream's frame, but he straightened up. He would win, despite all this. He _had to_.

The air commander turned slowly back to Megatron, aware that Shockwave was still standing behind him like a haunting ghost, aware of the sound of Rumble's softly hitching intakes, but he locked his gaze onto the Gunformer and walked up to him, supporting himself on his berth to be able to say it into his face.

"Now... that's why I have to be in control." the Seeker whispered, "I already have results concerning the microbes' physiology and as such, I'm closer to the solution. I have got us modified nanite donors that could help us slow down the disease and a real medic to treat us. And what could _you_ get? A _physicist_ whom we have no use whatsoever in healing us."

He could see that Megatron's optics were shining brighter and brighter as rage flared up in him, the leader of the Decepticons narrowed his lips into a thin line to keep himself from shouting at his second. His vents exhaled sharply, almost sending him into another coughing fit, but Megatron managed to compose himself and glared back at Starscream, "Bombshell himself stated... that he needed _practicing_... not the best choice of a medic then."

Starscream snorted, "Well... he _did_ work miracles on that ninja bitch of yours, didn't he?"

Megatron bared his dentae at the statement and his hand finally shot up to grab the Seeker's neck or just to punch him on the face, but his movements were weakened and slowed from the lack of air in his overheating systems and Starscream managed to catch his hand before it could have collided with his head. Megatron grunted, but Starscream didn't let go of it and instead raised it up to his eyes with a frown.

"Starscream!" Shockwave exclaimed from behind him and grabbed onto his shoulder, "Stop this fight. Release Lord Megatron!"

However, Starscream's hold on Megatron's hand had softened already, and all three immediately saw why; the Gunformer had spots of rust on his arm and the nasty tear on his shoulder on that side looked worse than before - and his whole hand was a sickly light grey and his smallest digit seemed to be hanging on it only by a thread. The moment Starscream touched it, the digit remained in his hand and everyone gasped at what they were seeing.

Starscream took a shaky breathe before he turned around to Shockwave, leaving Megatron staring at his hand with a horrified expression, "Yes, Shockwave... you could lend a hand to our dearest lord... literally. Because it seems he's already falling apart."

With that, he limped away to the back of the repair bay with Megatron's digit and Shockwave hurried over to his leader, holding his shaking frame as Megatron's features twitched in both fury and terror. All the while, on the other side of the bay, Rumble's optics widened as he looked down on his own greying hand, his body began trembling wildly as well, and there was nothing Soundwave could do anymore to stop it.

* * *

It was early in the evening when his trine came back.

Starscream worked feverishly all day, barely stopping to take a little rest and energon. Shockwave was indeed a fast learner, but Starscream only allowed him to watch as he applied chemicals to the cultures and prepared media to grow more, making gene sequencing with each to measure the mutation and scroll down on the list that did not work in eliminating them - and Shockwave frequently left him to tend to Megatron, especially after the latter started purging, too, and coughing up rusted bits of his frame along with processed energon.

Starscream sighed. As he predicted, the Insecticons' nanites did help a little, they gave a dose to Astrotrain after the three Constructicons took him back to his berth, and after a joor without his systems giving any negative reactions, the others received them, too. Their temperatures did not seem as high as before and they weren't worsening so rapidly for the rest of the day. Bombshell seemed to be quite capable, too - and quite fascinated with the whole situation, so when Starscream's trine arrived and Hook announced that they were closing down for the night, the Seeker walked up to the Insecticon before he left.

"It's not really about curing us, is it?" the Seeker asked with what could be called an amused smile, "Just the thrill of getting back to gory mysteries. That's why you agreed to help."

"What does it matter to you, Starscream?" Bombshell asked, turning back one last time before he left the bay, "In your position, you'd be wise to accept help when it is offered."

"No hurt feelings. I wanted to thank you for helping out. It's already more than I expected."

Bombshell shrugged at that, "I guess I should be thanking, too. It's been a long time since I felt this... _thrill_. Reminds me why it was good to be a medic. And now, as the doctor, I order you to get to berth. No more work today, you already seem ready to collapse right here."

That much was true, Starscream had to admit as he watched the Insecticon along with Shockwave, Hook and Scavenger leaving. Scrapper stayed with them for the night and Soundwave just got up from Rumble's berth. He had gone away to tend to his duties during the day, but was allowed to come in one last time to see his creation before they had to retreat to their quarters - and as he was about to leave, Starscream walked up to him and grabbed his arm, he pulled the communications officer weakly to his laboratory and shoved two datapads into his hands.

"These are all my findings so far as well as the changes in our conditions." Starscream explained in a hushed tone, "I want you to read all this. I want someone to keep track on everything in case something was lost or if I missed a detail."

Soundwave nodded after a moment of hesitation. It did not take him more than a few minutes to read everything from the heavy datapads and gave them back to Starscream before leaving the repair bay. Starscream vented deeply and took a moment to gather his strength to walk up to the glass where his two trine mates were waiting for him.

He hated how the moment they saw him the smile froze from their faces. "Starscream..." Thundercracker whispered, "You... your wing..."

Starscream sighed. He had noticed it earlier and could hardly prevent himself from shouting. His wing, a flyer's greatest pride and most valued appendage, was turning to rust, too. "I know. These microbes work quickly, huh? Too quickly..." Starscream lowered his voice to a whisper, "TC, they mutate so fast, I'm hardly able to catch them! When it seemed a solution worked, they adapted to it. In less than a _joor_! And guess what? Even water deprivation has nothing on them because they can decompose hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Their metabolism is so quick... they have more enzymes for that..."

He shuddered when he felt his trine mates' fear through their bond and leant his head to the glass. Starscream was exhausted and his whole frame trembled gently from weakness; he needed to ask Scrapper for more painkiller, but he couldn't do anything with the _fear_.

"Screamer," he looked up when he heard Skywarp whisper his nickname, "Is there nothing... we can do?"

"No, Skywarp. Nothing." Starscream straightened up, "Go, have some recharge. I want to see you in the morning."

It was hard to pull Skywarp away from the glass, but Thundercracker managed somehow, understanding that their trine leader wanted to rest and they couldn't come again until morning. What remained was a lingering pain in Starscream's spark from their worry for him that he had no strength to push away. It would have been futile to ask them to be strong for him when he himself had come close to giving up numerous times during that day. Sometimes he wondered what kept him going still.

Starscream walked up to his berth and let Scrapper inject him with sedative nanites to dull the pain upon his request. Megatron's ragged intakes filled the bay, he propped himself up against the wall to make it easier to breathe and still kept glancing at his grey hand that was now missing a digit. Astrotrain lay unmoving in his berth, tubes now hanging out of him as well and he looked ready to enter recharge, too. Starscream sighed when he heard Rumble's weak cough from the side, and got up to go over to him.

The Cassetticon sat hunched over a bucket, he whimpered softly as processed energon trickled down his chin and closed his optics when he felt the now-familiar presence of the Seeker behind him. Starscream climbed onto his berth, grunting at the pain in his leg and gently pulled Rumble to his lap, mindful of the catheters in his mid-section. It was routine now, and Starscream promised Soundwave he would support his creation as long as he could - that was one thing he did not want to give up on.

"Starscream," Megatron spoke up in the silence when it seemed all was settled down, "next cycle... you will _allow_ Shockwave to... take over from you... Did you understand?"

The air commander frowned and snorted, "Oh, your little pet complained to you, or what?"

"You are weak... if you were responsible—"

"Responsible?! Whose most brilliant idea was to—"

"Shut _up_!" Astrotrain exclaimed from his berth, it seemed he was using all his strength to do so, "Both of you! I'm tired of your fights!"

Starscream turned away, "I wasn't the one who started it." he grumbled, but glanced down when he felt a little hand rest upon his own.

"Starscream... please." he heard Rumble whisper feebly, and the Seeker bit his lower lip.

"Sorry." he murmured and pulled the smaller body closer to his. He should really learn to stop himself from entering meaningless arguments with his leader, he just couldn't help it - he and Megatron worked like this, this was in their nature, and no matter how much they annoyed each other, they always went on. And Starscream couldn't help a tiny smile when he thought he would really miss it all...

He took a deep breath when he felt Rumble relax against his frame and let his head rest on the Seeker's cockpit. He knew it would be a hard night, but they were there for each other - and now he knew that _this_ was what kept him going.


	7. Chapter 7

Soundwave was exhausted.

The communications officer heaved a great sigh as he retracted his mask and visor and sat down at the small table in his living quarters that he shared with his cassettes. He could hardly recharge during the night, and he could not - and didn't want to - shut down the bond from all his creations who sought reassurance from him, especially not Rumble. But their combined worry and fear made it more and more difficult to restrain his own emotions from seeping through. He didn't want them to know how helpless he felt.

And running the Base alone, with everyone demanding to know what was going on and trying to keep them from going into the repair bay took up most of his strength. The time he spent with Rumble was no different; his cassette was getting weaker, all four of them deteriorating fast. Even Starscream was now getting worse, though he managed to achieve valuable knowledge on the microbes and tried many things to see what they could use without harming themselves, that much Soundwave could see from the datapads.

Though why exactly the Seeker wanted him to read everything, he didn't know. Starscream did not lie, but Soundwave was sure there was something more to it. However, he was too worn-out to read his mind back in the evening, and he was still too preoccupied with his fading mini-mech.

The cube he held quivered in his hand and he put it down quickly when Frenzy came out of the berthroom. The tiny sway in the Cassetticon's steps did not miss Soundwave's attention and he did not even need the bond to tell that the mini-con was just as tired as he was. Frenzy went to the energon dispenser to fetch himself a cube and sat down next to Soundwave after mumbling a 'good morning'.

Soundwave sighed and watched his creation sip from the cube slowly, as if he was measuring every drop of it. He did not like the dimness in Frenzy's optics and how distant he seemed, no doubt because of his twin brother, but it nevertheless made the telepath's spark drop. "Frenzy," Soundwave's voice, without his mask to alter it, sounded full of concern, "is something wrong?"

Frenzy looked at him in surprise and smiled a little, "Apart from the obvious?"

"Yes." Soundwave moved closer to the small mech, "Why haven't you been recharging? You need your energy."

Frenzy shook his head just as Ravage lazily strode over to them and sat down beside his younger sibling with bleary optics, "As if ya don't." the mini-con murmured and took another sip from his energon.

Soundwave sighed. "That's different. Your systems are more fragile than mine. I know you are worried, but you cannot neglect yourself. I have enough to worry about already."

Frenzy looked down guiltily at his cube as Ravage nudged his arm. :: _We are all afraid_ ,:: the older sibling said, :: _but the least we can do is take as much burden off our creator's shoulders as we can._ ::

"I know," Frenzy whined and rubbed at his optics, finally abandoning his cube, "it's just... creator, that thing is... they're fallin' _apart_! I can't jus' stop thinking about that!"

"No one asked you to." Soundwave put his large hand on his creation's shoulder, "You are free of duties today. Promise me you will rest."

Frenzy nodded slowly, "Prom'se." he mumbled, "But let me go to the bay with you. Just a visit and I'll come back."

Soundwave gave a curt nod and retracted his visor, he stood up to his full height. He looked down at Ravage and opened his chest compartment; his first creation transformed within an instant and was soon gone to take his place beside Lazerbeak and Buzzsaw. Closing the plate, Soundwave put on his mask as well before stepping out of their quarters. Frenzy followed him without a word and the two walked down to the repair bay in complete silence.

It was still early in the morning, the sea was dark as they passed the windows. It would not get much lighter, they were too deep down and daylight was shorter underwater, that they had enough time to learn since they lived on Earth. Soundwave in particular found this settlement rather soothing, though it could not work its magic on him this time, all he could concentrate on was the corridors that led to the repair bay. He tried to contact Rumble through their comm. and bond to see how he was, but found that his creation was still in recharge...

* * *

Starscream stirred, his systems sluggishly came back online. He groaned softly when the pain and heat returned to ravage his body, and for the first time in those two days he felt _ill_. His leg was an agony and he winced when he looked down on it; the rust had spread, almost below his knee joint and the tip of his thruster was getting grey. Starscream did not need to look at other parts of his body to know that not only his leg was affected, the burning sensations told him enough. And not just him, he thought as he looked over the others with a painful frown.

He tried to shift without disturbing Rumble in his lap. The mini-con's vents were still working hard even in recharge and Starscream thought now he knew what he must have felt; he wondered how the small mech could take it all. This general ill feeling was bad enough, the pain and fever just added to it. The lack of recharge did not help either, it was only in the morning that he finally allowed his processor to shut down, and Starscream was a little relieved to see the Cassetticon in a peaceful recharge, too. Astrotrain and Megatron hadn't come back online yet either.

Scrapper walked up to him with a small cube of medical grade without saying a word and Starscream accepted it with a grateful nod. He thought it should have scared him how his hand shook as he took it, but he could not gather the strength to care at the moment. He wished he could just go back into recharge, shut the world out and escape from the sickness that was starting to take hold of his being. It had only been the third day, but it already felt like an eternity.

An eternity of failure.

Starscream bowed his head and offlined his optics just as the door to the repair bay opened. Hook and Scavenger came in while Scrapper left to get some rest after watching their patients all night and not long after they checked them all, Soundwave came in with Frenzy trailing behind him. The third-in-command stopped by Megatron's berth and Frenzy stopped, too. As much as they both wanted to go to Rumble, Soundwave still had duties and he needed to report to their leader first - so they stood in a respectful distance to wait for the Gunformer to fully come online.

"My lord..." Soundwave called to him quietly, but Megatron did not listen at first. He stared at his right arm, the empty space where his hand used to be - it had fallen off during the night, and now he was sure it wasn't just a flux. A shuddering intake shook the Decepticon leader's body and he turned his head away quickly, looking at his communications officer with dim optics.

"Yes?" he whispered, trying to get air into his overheating systems through rusted vents.

"Shockwave has travelled back to Cybertron to transport medical equipment and chemicals for Mixmaster to produce medical grade energon. The night had been eventless. No Autobot in sight."

Megatron merely gave a nod and dismissed Soundwave with a wave of his remaining hand and the tape decker immediately made his way to his creation's berth. Rumble had not awoken, not even as Hook checked his catheters with a frown and Soundwave noticed immediately why - the tubes and the bags they led to had a strange, yellowish liquid in them.

Soundwave clenched his fists to stop himself from shivering at the sight.

"Did he purge during the night?" Hook asked with a tone that indicated he already knew the answer.

"Yes." Starscream croaked and hissed. His voice was hoarse and sounded deeper than normal, and his vocoder felt like it was on fire.

Soundwave stepped closer and bent down to lift his cassette carefully from Starscream's lap to allow the air commander to get up, he held his creation close to his chest. It was only then that Rumble's optics flickered to life weakly and he blinked up at his creator as Hook examined his rusted arm with the same worried frown. "The circuitry has shut off, the energon lines and hydraulics have either gone dry or leaking. It will fall off eventually... it's safer if we cut it."

One didn't need to be a medical expert to tell what would happen; Rumble couldn't move that arm since the evening, even the pain had faded away from it. They talked about it with Starscream, too, and the Seeker told him it didn't matter - they could replace the arm and the transformation seams, and Rumble felt too unwell to care anyway.

Yet, when Hook said it out loud, it gained an awfully painful sense of reality that hit him in the core. Rumble turned his head away and buried his face in Soundwave's shoulder. Why did he have to go on that mission? If only... if only they knew...

"Come on, Starscream." Hook told the Seeker, "I'll give you pain suppressant and I want you to rest. I know you can't stay put for long, but try it for at least a joor, okay? Starscream?"

"I need to—" Starscream had to clear his throat before he continued, "I need to check on the cultures. But I'll accept the nanites... I don't think I can get up."

Hook injected him with the suppressant nanites first before helping him to his feet. Starscream gritted his dentae; the moment he started moving, sharp, burning pain shot through his frame and he grasped Hook's hand harder than he intended. The Constructicon waited patiently for him to gather his strength before pulling him up, Starscream couldn't hold back a groan of pain when his weight fell to his rusted leg.

"The nanites will be working soon." Hook murmured as he led the limping Seeker back to his own berth. Soundwave also laid Rumble back down with Frenzy close by his side. He did not encourage the little mech to speak, did not ask him how he was feeling, just watched him. Soundwave had always found it uneasy to see any of his cassettes injured even though they were adults now and his fellow warriors, tough and strong and they needed less attention. But their bond did not fade and Soundwave was still their protector and support whenever they were hurt.

And now, the image of Rumble's rust-filled body irreversibly burnt itself into his memory banks. Soon, he wouldn't have an arm and, judging by the fluids in the catheters, maybe more of his inner tubings would have to be reconnected or completely removed. Just how much more could he still withstand? Was there a solution at all?

If only he could turn back time...

"Hey, bro', what is it?" Frenzy asked quietly.

"I... dunno." Rumble whispered as he began trembling, his intakes became rapid, "Feels like... I've been run over by O-Optimus..."

Soundwave almost jumped up in fear when a hand touched his shoulder. It was never easy to take him by surprise, but he was so deep in thoughts that he failed to notice when Bombshell joined them as well and pushed him gently away from the edge of the berth so he could take a look at his creation. The third-in-command pulled Frenzy to himself to be out of the way.

"What happened?" Starscream asked and wobbly stood up. Hook hurried over to Rumble's berth as the mini-con whimpered, his body was shaking violently and optics flickered, Bombshell carefully pulled his arm out from under him while Hook held him, his vocals were spitting static.

"It's a mild seizure." the Insecticon answered, "He's bleeding, that liquid must be energon and rust."

"There's a-a... h-hole on his w-waist..." Frenzy spoke up with a wavering voice and pointed at his twin. It was true; the rust was eating into his plates, the corrosion was even more intensive than was expected. Soundwave looked up at Starscream and the Seeker nodded - he grabbed Frenzy's hand and started pulling him away gently while Hook pulled up the curtain that separated Rumble's berth from the others.

"Come on." Starscream murmured, but he didn't have to force Frenzy much - it seemed as if the Cassetticon was in a quivering daze.

"W-Will it reach his backstruts?" the mini-mech whispered when they reached the door. Shrapnel stood on the other side with a confused frown on his face that smoothed somewhat when he saw the youngling being led by Starscream out of the bay, "Will he b-be paralyzed like Astrotrain?"

Starscream took a deep vent, "I don't know." his voice was raspy and he coughed a little before he continued, "But he's taken care of. I'm... working on it. Now... go to your duties."

"Soundwave relieved me of duties today."

Starscream nodded. "You can come back... later when he's better."

Frenzy went into the little cabin to take off the mask and coverall before he went out and stood next to Shrapnel, still staring at the curtain that didn't allow anyone to see what was happening to the purple mini-mech. Thousand and thousand thoughts were running through his processor, a dark whirl of emotions assaulted his spark at the feeling that he was slowly but surely losing his other half.

"I see you're still stubbornly holding on, on." Shrapnel said, eying Starscream up and down, the way he swayed and leant heavily to the glass, his cooling fans whined with the effort to stabilize his erratic temperature.

"Someone has to." Starscream grumbled, "Our dear leader praises Shockwave to the high heavens, yet he's still... not even here now."

"Bombshell said he had gone for supplies and medicines, and would come back soon, soon."

Starscream tried to shrug, but winced at the pain, "What can he do? I have tried... almost everything I could think of. They are protected by layers of cell walls that are so strong... seem impenetrable."

"It sounds serious—"

"Frenzy? Frenzy!... Shrapnel, catch him!"

Shrapnel did so when the Cassetticon collapsed. Starscream comm.-ed Mixmaster to take him away, and the chemist came quickly, taking Frenzy from Shrapnel's arms he carried him to their quarters. The cassette's body did not feel warm, which was a good sign and he was coming back online by the time Mixmaster lay him down on a berth. Long Haul was also in the quarters and hurried over to the small mech.

"Bring him energon." Mixmaster told him and he leant down to the cassette.

"Alright, Frenzy, what happened out there?"

Frenzy's optics slowly found his, and he took a deep, shuddering breath, "I just... I didn't recharge... and Rumble... h-he had this seizure thing..."

"Alright, alright, just calm down. How are you feeling now? Nausea?"

"No, just... dizzy." Frenzy whispered and pushed himself up to take a few sips from the energon Long Haul had brought him. His processor was sluggish and his frame felt heavy, he had to offline his optics to stop the room from spinning as he lay back down.

"You felt him going through it through your bond, huh?" Long Haul asked him, "Nasty things, these bonds. You can stay here. Just rest. Would you like a sedative to help you recharge?"

Frenzy shook his hand and smiled a little, "Nah, I think I'll manage. Thanks."

"I'll call Soundwave to tell him—"

"No!" Frenzy put his small hand on Mixmaster's arm, "Don't call him... he... has enough to worry about already."

* * *

"Frenzy..." Rumble gasped softly when he felt the abrupt disappearance of his twin's presence from their bond. It came back very slowly and felt faint, too faint.

He had come out of the seizure a few nanoklicks before that. He was cycling air heavily, his systems were going crazy and he felt like Ironhide had dragged him through the pits of Unicron. He was still trembling slightly, oral lubricant and contaminated energon flowed freely from his mouth and his vision blurred, but he felt Soundwave next to him and that soothed him somewhat. And just when Bombshell and Hook finished cleaning him, the cut in the link hit him.

"C-creator..." he whispered and saw Soundwave lean down to him, "something's wrong with Frenzy..."

"Rumble, you rest." his creator told him and watched Hook inject sedatives into his venous port. They would take the mini-con away to operate on him again, to stop the bleeding and clean him out. What would be left of him this time...?

"Creator..." Rumble's optics offlined as he slowly entered stasis lock, "help him..."

And he was taken away, leaving the tape decker alone at the berth. Completely, utterly alone with the ever growing burden crushing down on him.

Soundwave strode ever so slowly towards the exit. He had to see Frenzy and he had duties, he knew, and maybe they would help distract him somewhat and keep him from giving in to his despair, but before he left, he stopped by Megatron's berth. Starscream was limping to his cultures, but stopped once he saw Soundwave. Megatron held an ice pack to his chest and was staring at his arm with the missing hand when Soundwave approached him. They all looked tired, but Soundwave knew he still had to be careful at what he wanted to propose.

"Lord Megatron." he called to his leader quietly, "You are in dire need of medical help. Autobot medic Ratchet; professional—"

"You want... to call the Autobots?" the Gunformer interrupted him.

"There is no other solution—"

"No!" Megatron's optics burnt sternly, "We don't need them... Shockwave is coming back from... Cybertron with supplies, and... he's just as professional as Ratchet."

"Not a medic."

"Soundwave," he heard Starscream's hoarse voice from behind him, "I don't think their medics could do much more... No one has ever met this kind of disease... and survived."

Soundwave was never one to disobey direct orders. He was as loyal to the cause as could be. But now...

...he was having doubts about this unending loyalty.

* * *

"Prime." Hound's voice rang from the computers, "Shockwave is back. We had a brief look at what he was bringing, and it certainly didn't look like weapons. There were... parts and syringes. Chemicals of some sort."

"Medicines?" Perceptor asked back with a frown.

"I think so."

"Good work, Hound." Optimus Prime told him, "Return to base."

Everyone gathered there was quiet for a while as they processed the information. It was Hoist who finally spoke up and broke the silence, "Maybe it's not some big plan... there haven't been much Decepticon activity in the past two days. And if Shockwave himself had to come down to Earth and bring medicines, they must be ill. Perhaps it's serious."

Ratchet snorted, "Well, it's no wonder then. Their chief "medic" is a Constructicon. And this doesn't sound like some physical damage, but something much more complex. A virus maybe."

Optimus thought for a moment, "If it is so, then they'll need real medics. And I don't know of any Decepticon they could contact."

His optics met Ratchet's and his long-time friend sighed, "I guess it only leaves us, huh?"

"If it _is_ that serious, they may need your help." Optimus said quietly, his soothing baritone vibrated gently through the air of the Ark, "The question is... _if_ we get such a call, _if_ they ask for our help... would you be ready to give it to them, old friend?"

Ratchet lowered his gaze to the ground. He hated it when Optimus talked to him like that, and he hated it when it actually had an effect on him. Of course, he had sworn, as a medic, to help every Cybertronian in need to the best of his abilities and he took this oath way before factions existed and divided their race. Back when there was no Autobot or Decepticon. Ratchet heaved a great sigh as he looked up at all the expectant faces of his comrades and friends. His gaze stopped on First Aid and Hoist, then finally on Optimus.

"I'll think about it." he murmured and left to his med bay.

There was much to consider.


	8. Chapter 8

Starscream stared at the Lightning Bug that took up a corner in the repair bay. Of course, since it could have the Cosmic Rust germs on it, they kept it enclosed with them and no one touched it since the four arrived back from Antilla. That piece of scrap was the reason they travelled to that faraway world, and that was the reason for their suffering now. Next time, they had to be more careful about their missions—

 _Next time?,_ Starscream almost laughed out loud, _I don't think there will be "next time"..._

Starscream took a deep vent. His leader could be impossibly impatient and reckless sometimes, especially when it came to his obsession with destroying the Autobots, but if only it hadn't blinded him to everything else, maybe it would have occurred to him just _why_ that world seemed so abandoned. Though, he thought, none of them thought about precautions before leaving to that unknown planet to retrieve that weapon, the weapon they would never have the chance to unleash. They had already seen - a demonstration by their gloriously stupid leader that started it all - the powerful heat ray, the destructive radiation it could produce.

The Seeker frowned when he thought about that. He completely forgot about it.

He got a feeling that he _did_ overlook something important...

The air commander coughed hard and spat the rusted bits into the waste bin he had placed between his legs by his chair when he felt the first wave of nausea. He grimaced at the foul metallic taste. Those were bits of his vocoder, Hook told him and he felt it himself - the burning sensation and the feeling like he was being stabbed repeatedly in the throat were proof enough, and the fact that it seemed harder and harder for him to make sounds. Whenever he spoke - or tried to, at best - it hurt like hell and was laden with static, and the constant itching and coughing did not help his processor ache either.

"I have finished the enzyme tests, Starscream." Shockwave came up next to him in his makeshift laboratory, "The rusticyanin and cytochromes do not seem to change from generation to generation more than normal, though otherwise they seem to be another species—... Starscream? Should I call Hook?"

The Seeker nodded quickly before he leant down to the waste bin. He hadn't purged in ages and it was nothing better now; he soon felt a hand rest on his lower back and Hook offered him a cube of low-grade which he took with shaking hands. He couldn't drink much, his tank was still swirling and glancing down at the bin he found that it was a mixture of processed and unprocessed energon. It had got him, too. There was no going back.

"And the glucan synthases?" he asked hoarsely and put down the cube. He closed his optics and sighed gratefully when Hook pressed an ice pack to his neck, he tried to focus on what Shockwave said. Even though he allowed him to read the datapads and work now, Starscream ordered him around the lab and made him report everything he did to him - at least to feel that he was still in control.

"The synthase enzymes are altered." Shockwave answered, "According to the gene sequencing you did, I think these microbes have reached the point where we can call them a different species from when you were infected with them."

" _I_ will decide that." Starscream muttered and looked over at the Lightning Bug again, "Though seeing their... mutation rate, it is quite possible. Maybe these are... already the sixth or seventh species now."

Starscream took a deep vent and buried his face in his palms. His whole body hurt and trembled with weakness and a moment later Hook grabbed his arm gently and tried to pull him up, "Come on, Starscream, let's go back to your berth. You have been up all cycle, you need to rest."

"Wait," the Seeker looked up at him with deeply burning optics, "I want to try... one more thing." he coughed and glanced at the Lightning Bug before he continued, "If it doesn't work... then... I don't know what more I can do."

He gestured to Shockwave to give him one of the cultures they had been sequencing. Repeated sampling revealed that their genome changed fast from one generation to the other, especially when Starscream tried to administer a chemical, and that was why it seemed impossible to kill them off - they adapted too quickly. But the cause of this rapid mutation rate they couldn't find.

Hook took the waste bin away while the air commander activated the incubator for what seemed like the millionth time during those three days and set the levels to normal, except for the level of radiation - Starscream set it as low as possible and closed the incubator.

This was their last chance, he knew as he glanced over at the others. Rumble had been blissfully in recharge most of the day after another operation, but he was surrounded by tubes and cables now, energon IVs leading directly to veins as he was unable to process it anymore and his thermostat became irreparable. Hook also told him the mini-con's energon pump was giving up, they tried to patch up all the cracks and tears inside him, clean him out, but they had to hook him up to a monitor to keep track on his circulation. His spark still seemed strong, though, according to the Constructicons.

Megatron received IVs, too, as it seemed he was getting too low on energy, his overworking systems burnt through his reserves rather quickly - just the effort of trying to get air to cool at least a little bit down with half of his vents and filters already turned to dust costed him much. A cable was attached to his chest to help pump air into his systems. Rusted bits were falling off all of them, here and there, though Starscream seemed to be the only one who, apart from a few small holes, didn't have any of his parts missing from his body.

Astrotrain was the worst. He had not been able to consume energon and hardly moved at all. He had not spoken a word ever since the previous evening when he told his two officers to stop their meaningless argument. He was angry back then, more so about the fact that even if, by some miracle, they could still be cured, there was a chance he may never be able to stand again. But he wasn't even angry anymore, and sometimes the only indications that he was still online were a few painful whimpers and sudden rushes of air through his vents as his unstable systems tried to regulate themselves. His frame was crumbling and he was fading fast.

Starscream wondered if he could still be saved at all. Blitzwing was there with him, though the Seeker did not know if the triple-changer was aware of his partner's presence. It was good to see at least someone was there for him. Starscream knew he could always rely on his trine, and Rumble had his creator and siblings by his side. All of them had someone they could count on, a loved one there next to them which was probably the only good thing they had right now.

Well... all of them, except Megatron. The only one who was there for him was Shockwave, but it was more out of loyalty than true friendship. Starscream wondered if the warlord had anyone at all he would call a friend. Maybe it was Soundwave he trusted the most, though at times he did pour his problems out to Starscream, even personal things on very rare occasions. When he was exceptionally depressed about something. However, both of them were too proud to enter such conversations with the other, and anyway, Starscream thought, they had known each other for millions of stellar cycles - sometimes the smallest of twitches was enough for them to know what the other was feeling. And no matter how many times they betrayed and hurt each other, Starscream was always there by his side.

It was his duty as second-in-command, he told himself. He didn't feel sorry for that slagger; so when he felt his tank had settled down enough and got up painfully to stride over to his leader's berth, he was just fulfilling his duty.

Starscream glanced over at Rumble now out of instinct, the Cassetticon was just barely coming back online, his optics, even as they rebooted, remained a lighter, pinkish shade. Scrapper was there with him, cooling his systems with ice packs. That solution seemed to help a little, but offered only a short-lived relief from the fever. Starscream's spark sank at the sight of the broken mini-mech. He had seen a great deal of different battle injuries throughout the stellar cycles, but this slow decay was the worst horror they could ever imagine.

The air commander reluctantly tore his gaze from the youngling and continued on his way over to Megatron. Blitzwing turned around when he heard him and nodded to his superior. He looked tired with worry, too, and turned back to his fellow triple-changer immediately who seemed to be offline at the moment. It seemed like the hot air was rolling down in waves from Astrotrain's vents. His fans had long stopped working, and a drain spiralled down from his filters to lead away the fluids as the microbes corroded coolant and energon lines as well, clogging the vents, and another cable helped him breath. The water vapor in the air shone as condensation on his burning hot frame.

When their optics met, Starscream saw a glimpse of acceptance on Blitzwing's face that his friend was dying. A hopeless acceptance that made Starscream feel guiltier than ever. He had taken away many lives in the war, and they all knew, were all ready to face it if one of them did not return from a battle - but this, somehow, seemed totally different. They didn't have much time left if this last experiment didn't work and he would soon have to tell them all that...

...that he failed.

Megatron looked up at him when he heard Starscream approach his berth. The once proud mech was now reduced to a trembling wreck that looked ready to fall apart at any moment, but he was still the strongest of them besides Starscream. His intakes grew a bit easier with the machine helping him now, and he still managed a menacing glare at his second when he reached him and supported himself on the edge of the berth.

"What is it?" Megatron asked, his voice hoarse and chest sore from all the coughing.

Starscream cleared his throat to bring a little life back to his vocoder before he could answer, "You're alone."

The Gunformer raised an optical ridge at that, "And? What does it... matter to you?" he asked again, words coming out in-between wheezes as his systems kept working feverishly.

"It doesn't." Starscream rasped, "But you shouldn't be."

"Oh, how nice... of you, Starscream... And what made you..." Megatron stopped for a moment, frowning, before he turned back to his second, "Does it mean... you couldn't find... anything?"

"I..." Starscream shifted, "That's not true. I still have... an idea, but seeing how advanced our conditions are—" he had to stop as static filled his voice.

"So that's it?... Saying goodbye already?" Megatron shook his head with a deep intake, "No need to get... emotional, Starscream... Just give it all to Shockwave, he will... solve this problem... And you... stop acting so important..."

Anger bubbled up in the Seeker at those words, "Shockwave has done nothing! He wouldn't even know what... a Petri dish is if I didn't guide him with every step! If it weren't for your stubborness—"

"I'm just as... stubborn as you are... my dear _second_." Megatron pressed on the word, "If you obeyed... sooner and gave Shockwave... what he needs, maybe... we wouldn't be this... far along now."

Starscream bared his dentae at the injustice. It was all his work, his results, and if it weren't for his organizing, they'd be much worse! He worked even when he started becoming ill and tried to raise the others' spirits, too, that there must be a solution and he would find it, because he was a renowned scientist. And here was Megatron, criticizing his expertise and crushing away all he had achieved by telling him to give it up, now, when he was so close!...

He couldn't hold back himself. The sickness, stress, fear and anger all welled up in him and Starscream moved, closing his fit and hitting his leader on the wound on his shoulder that the asteroid chunk tore on him. He felt no remorse as Megatron gasped in pain and grasped his shoulder with a loud groan, he didn't back away. Of course, he knew the former gladiator could still be dangerous even in his weakened state, but he was too angry to care. Even when Megatron looked up at him with murderous optics and his good hand shot up to grab the Seeker.

There was a loud crack, and a second later, an agonized scream filled the repair bay.

For a moment, Megatron was too dazed to realize what had happened. He, of course, moved to grab Starscream's wing like he usually did when he wanted to punish his air commander, knowing full well how sensitive the appendage was. It was all like instinct for him, and in his blind fury, the Gunformer forgot about the condition they were in; never had he felt regret and fear before over beating Starscream, but now that he slowly looked down at the rusted wing that he still held unconsciously in his hand, his spark seemed to have frozen.

Starscream collapsed by Megatron's berth, his vocalizer gave in with the cry the agony forced out of him. The Seeker purged violently from the white hot pain that burnt the chunk where his wing tore and faintly felt two pairs of arms lift him carefully up from the ground to lead him to his berth. Coolant poured from his optics as painful sobs rocked his body, he couldn't care about being ashamed of crying, couldn't even feel anything else but the pain in those awfully long minutes that followed.

His wing... the symbol of his very being...

Starscream saw Bombshell and Hook move around him, trying to calm him down and injecting him with nanites, painkillers and sedatives. He saw Blitzwing's horrified expression and even Astrotrain woke up at the sound of his scream, looking both confused and sorry. He saw Megatron still sitting frozen on his berth and then rising, he disconnected the cable from his chest and slowly limped over to Starscream's berth. The Seeker looked up at him through his tears and felt the other mech's remaining hand touch his face as he leant down to be eye-level with him.

"I'm sorry, Starscream..." Megatron whispered, "I didn't mean it... I'm so sorry..."

Starscream's sobs quieted down as the nanites started working, he leant his head on Megatron's uninjured shoulder and the Gunformer stroked the back of his head lightly. Both of them were radiating heat and breathing heavily, though the physical pain seemed to be dulling just a bit, their sparks still raced in their chests. Starscream had never seen his leader so remorseful, never said he was sorry after beating him - he knew it was really just the anger that drove both of them and they tended to act without thinking. Even when their lives were at stake.

But now it all seemed so... insignificant. Everything before Starscream seemed to turn into black emptiness.

"I give up." he whispered, his vocoder no longer able to produce sounds.

The depth of those words needed a moment to settle in.

Megatron's hand stopped and he pulled away a little bit to look into Starscream's tired optics. "No... don't." he replied, "You were never one... to give up... And you said you... have one more idea..."

"And we'll all assist you with it." he heard Hook say softly and saw everyone gathering around his berth with Scavenger carrying a stretcher to him. The faces of his comrades were the last thing he remembered before the sedatives finally put him into a peaceful recharge.

* * *

Of course, the moment his trine mates felt his pain through the bond, they rushed down to the repair bay and refused to leave his side until late in the evening. Starscream was not allowed to work anymore, the Constructicons cut down the rusted chunk from his back so it wouldn't cause much pain, and Thundercracker and Skywarp didn't let him get up either. They brought him energon and ice packs when he needed them, they held him carefully and showered him with their love to compensate the fear they all felt.

Strange as it seemed to him at first, Starscream didn't blame Megatron. He knew his leader was truly sorry, and he rather blamed this slagging disease for all the things that happened. But maybe it was a good thing... Starscream never thought he would ever see this side of Megatron again. And he wanted it to be this way if they really had to leave this world.

It was by evening, just after the two Seekers and Soundwave reluctantly left the repair bay that a small alarm sounded off from Astrotrain's berth. The triple-changer's vents were expelling smoke and he lay dangerously still as all three Constructicons and Bombshell rushed up to him. They quickly unhooked him from the cables and IV tubes that hang from him before they hauled him to the stretcher.

"What's happening?" Starscream whispered soundlessly, pushing himself up weakly from his berth.

"His pump," Scrapper answered him in a hurry, "it gave up. His processor's not receiving enough energon."

"Come on." Hook urged and they pushed him into the operating room. Silence fell in the bay, just the occasional beeps and whooses of other monitoring and supporting systems could be heard. Starscream kept his gaze on the door of the room and sighed deeply. If Astrotrain's energon pump was now rusted as well, it may have been the end for him; he would have to be completely rebuilt.

"Starscream..." he heard Rumble whispering feebly from his side, "we're all dying... aren't we?"

The Seeker looked at the Cassetticon. There was still a trace of fear in his light optics, but mostly exhaustion and silent acceptance that he already knew the answer. They all had to face reality and all of them came to accept it slowly, but there was still a need to confirm it.

"Yes." Starscream answered, "we're dying."

He lay his head back on the berth and gazed up at the ceiling. Semi-darkness ruled the bay and the pain suppressant nanites made his processor a bit foggy, but Starscream felt he could still think clearly enough to know what he was talking about.

"Do you believe in Primus?" he suddenly asked. A moment of silence followed his question before Rumble spoke up with a shrug.

"Soundwave does... and I guess I believe in what he believes in."

"If Unicron exists..." Megatron whispered, "then there must be... Primus, too."

Starscream nodded absently and quickly covered his mouth when a coughing fit shook him. He wiped his hand from the rusty bits before settling down, intent on continuing the conversation. "And have you... ever prayed?"

"No... Never felt the... need to." it was Megatron who answered first this time. He must have still felt some regret, Starscream thought, that made him join in. Or maybe he came to the conclusion that ranks didn't matter now; it was only them, four mechs sharing the same sickness and same fate with only each other for support.

"I did once," Rumble replied and took a shuddering breath, "creator taught us how to. Once he was injured in a battle and it was... very bad, the medics said he may not make it. That was the first time I prayed. I couldn't imagine living without him."

Starscream nodded in understanding at the mini-mech, "Maybe we should... learn again how to do it."

It was a joor later when the three Constructicons came out. They continued talking for a while and almost fallen into recharge, but Starscream willed himself to remain online to listen to what they had to say. The first thing he noticed immediately was that they didn't bring Astrotrain back. If it was that bad, he really hoped—

"He's still alive, but barely." Hook answered his unspoken question, "Bombshell is staying there with him. He's in deep stasis and we had to hook him up on spark support."

"Won't you... bring him back?" Megatron asked quietly, his optics met Hook's tired gaze.

"No, my liege. We had to take parts out of him and... we cannot move him away from the machines. He's stable now, but I sincerely don't know... how much more he can take."

"Then... download his memories and personality." Starscream whispered, "There must be a way..."

"We're doing everything we can." Scrapper said and put a hand on Hook's shoulder. It must have been hard for all of them and Starscream just realized how scared it made him, too.

He wondered if he was really ready to face it all...

* * *

Soundwave stroked Frenzy's head unconsciously as they lay in the berth. He allowed the mini-con to recharge with him through the night, and he was glad the cassette was getting some rest. He took him back to their quarters from the Constructicons after he left the bay and Mixmaster gave him an ampule of relaxant, but it seemed there was no need for it; the mini-mech recharged almost all day and through the night. Mixmaster told him he was low on energy and all that was going on in the twins' bond was what caused his systems to make a short emergency shutdown.

The third-in-command, however, still couldn't calm down enough to fall into recharge. He needed it badly and glanced at the sedative, but chased the thought away quickly. In the evening, he could see very well that what they had was no longer enough. Ever since he left the repair bay, after Starscream made him read all the datapads again, his emotions were conflicting in a turmoil, torn between his loyalty to his master and the need to save his creation.

He knew what he should do, but Megatron's order was clear. Yet, in the evening when he hugged Rumble and felt that the little mech was barely able to put his remaining arm around him, the decision was just growing stronger. The thought to disobey his master at first seemed bad. He had almost never done that before. Never saw the need to do it. But now as he glanced down at Frenzy snuggled close to his chest, the bad feeling finally evaporated and it all cleared away. He couldn't lose Rumble. Not when he had the chance to save him - and it suddenly became easy to search for that long forgotten frequency, gave him confidence to take control of the situation.

There was no other way.

"W-wha'?" a familiar, groggy voice spoke up on the other end of the comm-link, "Who's it?"

"Blaster" Soundwave said the name quietly in order not to wake Frenzy.

"S-Soundwave?" he could almost see the other tape decker's dumbfounded expression, "How can... how can you still remember... my frequency?"

"Not important." Soundwave replied, "I need your help."

"My help?" Blaster asked back, he sounded fully awake and alert now, "At two in the morning? What would you need my help for?"

"We need the assistance of your medics." when he received no answer, Soundwave added, "Blaster... it's about Rumble."

That did it. Soundwave knew that even though the other dual-spark did not yet have creations on his own, he could never bring himself to hurt other creations, especially not Soundwave's, no matter what they did. He was probably the only Autobot Soundwave would have trusted them with had they ever been caught, and Blaster knew it. He sighed through the comm. and finally said, "Alright. Tell me what it is."

And Soundwave relayed every information he had, every bit from all the datapads Starscream had given him - and Blaster promised he would speak with his superiors. If that was all he could do for now, Soundwave felt a tiny hope returning to his spark knowing that he did everything in his power.

And he could finally fall into recharge.


	9. Chapter 9

Dawn withered along the waves over the Base and painted the sea in sparkling gold. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold and Soundwave let it mesmerize him for a moment like it had done so many times in the past since they arrived on Earth. Just for a moment of peace before he told himself to concentrate again. He had woken early and got out to clear his processor a little. A new wave of excitement surged up in him as he recalled Blaster's agreement to help him and he kept his comm. open for everyone - especially the other dual-spark - if they wanted to reach him.

Even if he did not succeed, Soundwave was eternally grateful to Blaster for helping him. They both knew that it wasn't about them; Soundwave was sure if Blaster had called him to help with his creation - if he had one -, the Decepticon third would not have hesitated either. Long ago, back on Cybertron, in what seemed like another life, Blaster told him he thought being a dual-spark, being able to bring life to the world by their spark alone was a unique blessing. Soundwave remembered how much the other tape decker wanted creations of his own, but with the war coming into their lives, it devoured all their energies and Blaster's spark hadn't split ever since. Soundwave already had his cassettes when the first rebellions broke out, they grew up in the war, trained to be spies and soldiers.

It didn't matter now. All he could think of was how much time they had left before they stepped over the line where there was no return. He was just thankful he had all the information about the disease to hopefully convince the Autobot medics that they couldn't go on without them. It was fortunate that Starscream had provided him with everything he needed...

* * *

Starscream woke to less pain than he expected. He couldn't feel his leg, couldn't feel his wing; but his vocoder - or what remained of it - was blazing. The heat was all he felt for a long moment, it took longer than ever for his systems to reboot and at first he didn't even know where he was, but it all came back to him slowly. _Astrotrain_.

He turned his head over to the left, but only saw the empty berth where Astrotrain used to lie beside him. The reality of this emptiness gripped the Seeker's spark - had Astrotrain made it through the night?

"Don't worry, he's still with us." it was Scavenger's voice from his other side and the Constructicon helped him sit. He must have seen the look on Starscream's face when he was staring at the triple-changer's berth.

Starscream nodded, he couldn't get his vocoder to work. It frightened him how horribly weak he felt; when Scavenger offered him a cube of energon, it took him a moment to will his hand to rise and grab it. There was a hole just above his wrist joint, he could see wires and bundles of micro-circuitry, mocking him about his failure to come up with any solution they could use. The only good thing he could arrange was the Insecticons' nanites that slowed the disease a little.

It was hard to swallow.

"Do your optics hurt?" he heard Hook ask at the other side, from Rumble's berth and soon the mini-mech's answer followed.

"No." he whispered. Starscream saw Hook nod to that and when he moved aside, he could see Rumble's face; the colour of his optics seemed to have gone even lighter than the previous day, which explained why the Constructicon was questioning him like that.

"Would you recognize me from this far?"

Rumble frowned, it seemed he was concentrating hard, but eventually shook his head, "No. It's all blurred."

Starscream sighed. Malfunctioning optics were easy to replace, under different circumstances, it would have been a ridiculously tiny problem. But these days the world seemed to have turned upside down, and the most insignificant things were gaining value. Starscream would have never thought he'd be so worried about his comrades, especially those he had never been the best of friends with. For example, this strong need to see how Astrotrain was doing.

"Help... get up." it took all his strength to say those words, and still it was hardly a whisper. Scavenger nodded.

"I'll get you a hoverchair."

Starscream frowned and that was when he looked down on his body. It was true he could hardly walk with his rusted leg, but he was sure he could still make this short distance—

He did not have a leg. His right leg was entirely missing, there was nothing below his pelvic plating. Starscream's intakes hitched and his optics flashed in bright, angry red; yes, he knew that leg would not function for long, and would have eventually fallen off even if they did not cut it down, but how dare they do it without his permission?! It was still his body!

"Calm down, Starscream." he heard Hook's voice from Rumble's berth. He must have seen the look on his face and his digits curling into a fist, "That leg was hanging on only by a few wires and cables. The circuitry have shut off by this morning. It would have just dragged your systems down even more. You didn't even stir when we removed it."

Starscream glared daggers at him, even though he knew Hook was right. Only when he locked optics with Rumble did his fist loosen up - the cassette was missing an arm, his left foot and half of his holding tanks, converters and inner tubings and wires; he had to be fed through IVs, he was going blind and the crack on his energon pump threatened him with the same fate Astrotrain had suffered. Starscream was still just _starting_ to understand how he must have been feeling... and it was still better than his wing...

The Seeker's vents whoosed as he heaved a sigh, angry tears filled his optics, but he tried hard to prevent them from rolling down his face. The leg could be replaced, he knew, but this knowledge did not make it hurt any less. However, he told himself to concentrate on other things when Scavenger arrived with the hoverchair. Starscream swallowed down his pride and let the Constructicon help him into the chair. Seeing Astrotrain was more important now.

"Be prepared, Starscream." he heard Scavenger mutter above him, "It will not be a pretty sight."

Starscream knew; still, he couldn't hold back a gasp when they entered the room. At first, he could hardly see Astrotrain because of all the machines and tubes that surrounded him. There was one that pumped air into his battered frame; two that circulated coolant and energon in his systems instead of his pump; a spark support, and one that displayed all his vitals. Starscream was no medic, but he understood they were low, some almost non-existent since the triple-changer went into stasis lock. All his limbs were either fully or partially removed and different kinds of catheters and cables led in and out of his frame. Holes, big and small were scattered all over him, parts broken and cracked, the corroded armor left his protoform bared and unprotected. Even his left jaw was missing - Starscream saw there was a thick tube in Astrotrain's mouth, though he didn't care what for. He could not take his optics off his fellow flyer's face.

There was not a single part on him that was unaffected by the rust.

"We did everything." Starscream turned around when he suddenly heard Bombshell's voice behind him. He was so overwhelmed by Astrotrain's disturbing condition that he did not even notice the Insecticon's presence until he spoke in a tired voice, "But even though we made sure to maintain his energon circulation, his processor functions are down to minimal and at this rate, he won't be able to come out of stasis. We almost had to completely clean him out. His spark is still pulsing, but it's slowly fading. The microbes did not attack the spark chamber, but with his frame crumbling and systems shutting down, he cannot hold onto it much longer."

Bombshell took a deep vent, "At this point, maybe we could still rebuild his body, but he's practically dead, Starscream. Only the machines keep him here. Without them, his spark would expire."

The air commander buried his face in his palm. He didn't think it would hurt so much to hear that, no matter how many times he told himself to be ready for everything. He had to get some result from the last experiment. If not, they were all done for.

Starscream brushed his digits over Astrotrain's face, the strong warrior looked delicate and fragile now; but at least he did not have to feel the pain anymore. The Seeker sighed deeply and turned back to Bombshell, he decided to activate his comm. link instead of struggling with his vocoder.

:: _Thank you for what you have done for him. You should rest._ ::

The Insecticon waved his hand, "It's my job. And Scrapper will take my place after they're done checking you all."

Starscream nodded and gestured to Scavenger to take him out. He cast one last glance at the triple-changer before the door closed behind them and the image still lingered before Starscream's optics even when they headed back to his berth. They couldn't reach it, though, as an unexpected sight greeted them and Starscream made Scavenger leave him at Rumble's berth before the Constructicon ran off to help his gestalt mates stabilize Megatron. Now that the Seeker thought about it, it wasn't that unexpected - the Gunformer's ventilation system finally shut off now that most of it had been turned into dust and a tiny clog was enough to stop it working.

Normally, they did not need to breathe, didn't need chemicals like oxygen for their metabolism, breathing air was part of their cooling mechanism and it automatically kicked in when the body overheated. Thus, with a fever so high, the urge to get air into their systems was strong even if there was a malfunction in the ventilation system - Starscream wasn't at all surprised hear and see his leader gasping for air, there was energon on his hand and mouth that he must have coughed up.

Despite this, the Seeker was still tense as he watched the three Constructicons work on Megatron, opening up his chestplates and plugging him with cables and drains to clean him out and help him breathe. It had been a long time since he saw the Decepticon warlord this scared and weak, and Starscream knew it would just get worse - even though it got easier for him now that the support machines ventilated instead of him, his cooling fans would stop working and that would lead to his thermostat failing like it happened to Rumble.

"Starscream" a thin voice called to him from his front and Starscream looked down at the cassette.

:: _Yes?_ :: _,_ he asked back through his comm. and clutched his abdomen when he felt a dull ache radiate from there.

"How's Astrotrain?" Rumble whispered, causing the air commander to sigh.

:: _Not good._ :: he replied, :: _He may not make it._ ::

He watched the mini-con's light optics fill with coolant and a dreadful expression cross his little face. He did not have the strength nor enough coolant to cry, just a few silent tears escaped his optics and Starscream grabbed a cloth from the berthside table to gently wipe his face, then moved to his head and neck to clean him from the oily condensation that collected on his burning hot plates. Rumble relaxed somewhat under his touch and offlined his optics, the machine that monitored his pump had shown his pressure had gotten lower.

The Cassetticon whimpered softly and looked back up at Starscream, "I'm not feeling well... If Astrotrain dies, will I be next?"

Starscream moved the cloth to his corroded chest plates, careful around the sensory cables and tried to ignore the growing pain in his mid-section as he considered Rumble's question. He really _was_ the worst after Astrotrain of the four of them, and as much as Starscream didn't want to lie to him, after seeing the triple-changer's condition he couldn't help protest at the mini-mech's words.

:: _There can still be a solution. Have you received nanites yet?_ ::

"The Insecticons'..." Rumble groaned, "b-but it still hurts... You can't talk?"

Starscream shook his head and glanced towards Megatron. The Gunformer coughed one last time before he leant back in his berth, there were thick tubes in his chest plates that cycled air for him and he seemed to calm down now. Only as the Constructicons moved away to let him rest did Starscream see that Shockwave was also standing by their leader's side, clutching a datapad in his hand. Apparently, for him, Megatron still stood above reporting to the air commander of the Decepticons, the scientist of the research that could maybe still save their lives. Starscream curled his hand into a fist and tried to brush aside a wave of dizziness before calling to the other mech.

:: _Shockwave! Have you checked the last culture?_ ::

The guardian of Cybertron looked up and walked up to the second-in-command, giving the datapad to Starscream, "Yes. The program completed the sequencing and the enzyme tests you required."

Starscream studied the genome map the datapad displayed and spoke without looking at the other scientist, a twinge of hope shone through his words, :: _And have you compared the genomes with the one we made before I put them in the incubator?_ ::

"I did, and it showed that the mutation rate has decreased greatly. It is within normal standards compared to the generation time."

A smile started to grow on Starscream's face and everyone around him watched him curiously. That was the Seeker's first smile in days and it must have meant good news they all were yearning for.

"So?" Hook asked and straightened up after giving Rumble an injection of suppressant nanites, "What is it?"

"The radiation..." Starscream managed to whisper, "that was... the cause..."

"Starscream, are you unwell?" Hook couldn't help notice the dimming of the Seeker's optics and the way he hunched over slightly. Starscream was taking deep vents and the datapad quivered in his hand as Hook grabbed both his shoulders, "Are you in pain?"

:: _I caught them, Hook._ :: the air commander sent through the comm. with a small, tired smile before his optics suddenly shorted out and he went limp in the Constructicon's arms. A thin stream of energon trickled down his chin and the datapad he held fell to the ground with a tremendous shatter as he was rushed away, once more, in what seemed like an endless cycle of defeats by now.

* * *

:: _Soundwave,_ :: Ramjet's voice spoke through the third-in-command's comm., :: _we have detected Autobot signals nearing the Base._ ::

Soundwave stood up immediately, _::Identify them.::_

There was a moment pause before Ramjet answered, :: _It's the space shuttle Skyfire and he's carrying seven other signals. They are getting closer, should we get ready for battle?_ ::

:: _Negative_ :: _,_ Soundwave replied, his spark was racing in his chest, :: _Grant them entrance to the Base._ ::

:: _W-What? But, Soundwave—_ ::

:: _Do as I said!_ ::

The Vosian did not answer, but a moment later the docking tower rose out of the waves. Soundwave flew down to the entrance and looked out to the sea - by that time, the shuttle's white form could be seen in the distance and the communications officer activated a broadband link to speak to the troops not to attack the Autobots and leave them all clear passage to the repair bay. They were under _his_ protection for as long as they needed to help them cure the four sick mechs.

At least, Soundwave hoped they came with that intention.

"You called them?" the tape decker heard Blitzwing speak next to him and turned to the triple-changer who was also watching the approaching space shuttle.

"Affirmative." Soundwave replied quietly.

"Finally someone sensible. I'll help you make sure the others stay away from them."

"Thank you."

They both moved back to give Skyfire enough space to land and stood motionless as the bigger mech's door opened. Soundwave's energon pump skipped a beat when he saw the first 'bot step outside; it was Blaster, the other dual-spark wore a small smile on his face as he walked up to Soundwave without fear, holding up one hand to show Blitzwing that he meant no harm.

"They all agreed immediately, 'Wave. You don't have to worry now." he said, his tone serious, "I hope we're not too late."

Soundwave just shook his head and watched in awe as Ratchet, the Autobots' Chief Medical Officer was followed by other medics he recognised as Hoist and First Aid, the scientist Perceptor and, to his utmost surprise, the Dinobot Swoop and finally Optimus Prime himself. When everyone exited, Skyfire transformed back to his robot mode and Soundwave walked up to the Autobot leader and bowed his head - they may have been enemies, but he still held respect towards the Prime.

"Thank you to all of you for coming. I propose calling a ceasefire for the time being." Soundwave said and cast a glance at Swoop's direction. He couldn't imagine why the Dinobot would be part of their group - maybe to be some sort of bodyguard?

"Swoop is a medic-in-training." Ratchet stepped forward when he noticed the tape decker's look, "He came to help, too. Let's not waste any more time here, show us the way."

Soundwave nodded, "Follow me." he replied and noted that he was grateful for how straightforward the chief medic seemed to be. He knew the Autobot was a professional doctor and thus could remain objective enough to agree to help them. They all followed Soundwave down the corridors with Blitzwing coming last; Decepticons on the way stared at them in utter shock, but each of them was silenced by a hard glare from either Blitzwing or the third-in-command. However, there was something - or rather, someone who forced them to a halt.

Shockwave stood before them, his weapon lowered but ready, and his single optic burned angrily as he took a step forward.

"What is the meaning of this, Soundwave?"

Soundwave stood his gaze and he sounded relatively calm as he replied, "The Autobots agreed to give us medical assistance in dealing with the Cosmic Rust infection."

"We have come close to the solution now." Shockwave replied, "And Lord Megatron's order was clear. The Autobots are not to enter the repair bay."

"Lord Megatron is in no condition to make rational decisions. In his and Starscream's absence, I am in charge."

Blitzwing walked quietly up to stand by Soundwave's side and crossed his arms over his chest, optics hard as he glared at Shockwave. However, the purple mech did not tear his optic from the tape decker.

"Need I remind you, Soundwave, that I am above you in rank?"

Soundwave stood straight and his tone turned ice cold with his determined words,

"Not on Earth."

Shockwave started to raise his gun and his other hand curled into a fist, "This is your last chance; stand do—"

"No, _you_ stand down, cyclops!"

Everyone turned in surprise at Skywarp's voice and a moment later, the teleporter stood at Soundwave's other side, his null ray raised and ready to fire. His trine mate, Thundercracker followed close behind, his weapon trained on Shockwave as well, who took a step back in shock, "I don't care if you are my superior," the blue Seeker growled, "you will _let_ them through, and if any harm comes to these robots, we won't give it a second thought to turn anyone into slag, is that understood?"

By that time, Blitzwing had also pointed his gun at Shockwave who ran his optic frantically from one mech to the other and was almost trembling with rage, "I'm warning you, this is mutiny!"

"We won't be any more traitors than you if you deny Megatron and the others proper treatment." Thundercracker replied and nodded to Soundwave, "You can go on, we'll hold him back for you."

"How dare you..." Shockwave muttered, but he still couldn't do anything, he was outnumbered by the three flyers who held their weapons unwavering in his face and he could only watch as Soundwave led their enemies up to the repair bay.

Bombshell sighed wearily as he stepped outside the repair bay. Scrapper had finally come to take his place by Astrotrain's side and the Insecticon was grateful for a little time to recharge. He had been up all night cycle, monitoring Astrotrain's condition, but all he could do was watch as the triple-changer's vitals were getting lower and his spark fainter. He found himself strangely concerned and he didn't mind staying with him, but he also remembered how emotionally taxing these things could be. Helplessly watching other transformers dying was a part of his long-lost medical career that he did not miss.

But all exhaustion was forgotten in shock when he saw Soundwave approach the bay with the eight Autobots following him close behind. He froze before the glass that separated them from the repair bay and Soundwave raised up a hand to reassure him that everything was alright. Bombshell turned back with a questioning look to Hook, who was standing on the other side of the glass with an equally surprised expression - however, his features soon smoothed into tiredness and he sighed, pointing to the cabin that contained the coveralls and masks. Ratchet gave him a curt nod and walked over to the cabin, followed by the three other medics and Perceptor and soon, only Optimus, Skyfire, Blaster and Soundwave remained outside.

"Soundwave" Bombshell called to the third-in-command and he turned around, waiting for the Insecticon to continue. Bombshell still eyed the Autobots warily, but he went on, "You may not yet know about it, but the previous evening, Astrotrain's energon pump failed and we had to hook him up on spark support. I don't think he has much time left." he paused for a deep vent, "Megatron also had to be put on air support and Starscream had a circuitry misfire from inner bleeding, though the others said he had finally found something. Rumble's condition did not seem to change as of this morning."

On the other side of the bay, a door opened to reveal Hook, the Constructicon did not even look at them as he stormed around the corner and was gone in an instant. Soundwave turned back to the ex-medic and nodded to him in gratitude. "Thank you. Have some rest."

Bombshell stared at the corridor where Hook had hurried off and gave a tired sigh before he replied, "Just one more thing."

With that, he strode calmly to the direction where Hook went. He had a wild guess as to where he could have gone and it was proven correct when he found the Constructicon sitting on the floor just in front of the repair storage, his knees pulled up to his chest and he buried his forehead into his palms. His optics were offlined and he was taking deep vents, he looked just as tired as the Insecticon felt - though, Bombshell thought, it must have been more of an emotional exhaustion. He crouched down next to the crane and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Tell me about it." the older mech told him and Hook raised his head up with a snort.

"What, you're a psychologist now?"

"I'm not one, but I know quite a bit about how the processor works." Bombshell replied, "You feel that you have been replaced now that the Autobots came?"

Hook vented heavily and leant his head back to the wall, gazing up at the ceiling. He slowly shook his head and his tone grew much quieter when he finally answered, "I feel that I... failed them. They're dying and Soundwave was right in summoning their medics, because we couldn't do anything for them. I failed as a mechanic, I failed as Megatron's approved medical engineer... I failed in every way possible."

Bombshell couldn't say anything for a long moment. They had spent enough time with the Decepticons to know most of them personally, and the former neurosurgeon knew that Hook in particular was a perfectionist. He did everything with absolute precision and care and now he must have taken it all as a personal defeat, a blow to his expertise. Bombshell had seen many medics, mostly interns suffer nervous breakdowns because of a failure to heal or save someone and he understood Hook was having something similar now in addition to being physically wiped by the past four days of endlessly trying to stabilize the four mechs' ever worsening conditions.

"Blaming yourself shows that you really care about it all." Bombshell found the words at last, "You did everything you possibly could, even if it's hard to believe at the moment. And anyway, the arrival of the Autobot medics doesn't mean you're useless. You have treated these mechs for several stellar cycles, you know them and their inner workings more than anyone. They'll need your help - you'll only fail if you give in to your despair now."

Hook was looking into Bombshell's deep red visor as he contemplated his monologue, frowning in thought before he let out a small chuckle, "Tell me where you have gotten so much sentimental wisdom."

"I learnt it the hard way." the Insecticon stood up, "So? Will you go back to where you should be?"

"Just give me a few more breems to sink in my self-loathing."

Bombshell nodded and turned around to walk away, but felt the Constructicon's large hand grab his own and he looked back down to meet the younger mech's optics as Hook murmured, "Thanks."

With a curt nod, Bombshell finally walked away to the quarters he had been given to have a well-deserved rest. He couldn't help feeling that the next time he would wake and go down to the bay, they would regain some of the hope they had lost.


	10. Chapter 10

The first thing Starscream felt was a horrible itch in his throat. His worn-out body struggled to cough and his head was pushed to the side when burning liquid entered his oral cavity, he winced as he tasted energon. Gentle hands wiped his face clean and then returned to work on his throat, a slight tugging, then he felt a strange, though not too uncomfortable sensation, as if there was something that didn't belong there. He onlined his optics and while he waited for his vision to clear, he raised up a hand weakly to feel what was in his throat when the other hand stopped him mid-air.

"You Starscream not touch that." said a new voice, not overly familiar, but that grammatical glitch and the tone itself Starscream managed to recognize and when his optics found the mech standing above him, his suspicion was proven right. It was the flyer Dinobot, Starscream couldn't even remember his name - and what in the pit of Unicron was he doing there?

Was he hallucinating...?

The Seeker tried to say something, but found that he could not produce any sounds, any words at all, not even in a hushed whisper. When he ran a diagnostic, he found that he no longer had his connection to his vocoder, which was impossible, no matter how rusted it became. However, before he could have dwelled into this newfound problem, the Dinobot continued speaking.

"Me Swoop insert drain to lead energon and coolant out from rusty lines. They leaking, can't patch them up because of rust." he was talking in a tone as soft as his gruff voice would allow, which was still uncharacteristic for Starscream from a Dinobot, from a creature they all deemed inferior and imbecile. And what he was saying, did he actually... _treat_ him? How could he have the knowledge to do so?

Starscream just stared at him for a long moment, trying to decide whether it was just a flux when another Autobot, that mechanic Hoist walked up into his view with a small smile. "You did well, Swoop. Go over to Ratchet, he would like your assistance."

Swoop gave a nod and turned away, now it was Hoist who filled up Starscream's horizon and the gentle mechanic started talking again, "I'm afraid you won't be able to speak for a while, Starscream. You had been just wheeled out of surgery when we arrived and your vocoder was removed, as well as your waste tank and some feeding tubes. The tank was cracked and leaked in your abdominal cavity, probably had been slowly during the night and a rusted energon line tore because of the added pressure, that caused an inner leakage. You have been catheterized and cleaned out, but I advise you stay lying for the rest of your treatment."

By the end of his monologue, it slowly started to dawn on Starscream that the Autobots were really there. Glancing around, he saw the Autobots' chief medic, Ratchet standing over Rumble while by Scavenger's side, First Aid was examining Megatron who looked more dazed than angry. By the far off table, their scientist, Perceptor was looking over his cultures and datapads and when his gaze finally travelled to the glass wall that separated them from the outside world and saw the three other Autobots standing behind Soundwave, Starscream's sluggish processor put the pieces together.

Soundwave called them. They came to help them.

Skyfire was there.

Skyfire...

Starscream couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. He just stared dumbfounded at the space shuttle who looked back at him with glistening optics that fought to restrain his sadness shining through - Skyfire didn't want to burden him with his own worry, just like old times. Coolant filled Starscream's optics before he could have willed his body to obey and he extended a shaking hand in his direction in a mute gesture for the white flyer to come closer.

The shuttle's optics widened, but before he could have said anything, Thundercracker's voice almost made him jump as the Seeker walked up behind them with Skywarp by his side, "Go in." he said calmly, "He wants you."

Skyfire looked back at Starscream and couldn't help be locked in those bright red optics, "Even if I wanted to, I'm afraid neither of us has a coverall as big as I would need."

"Oh, yes, we have." they heard Ratchet from the other side of the bay and the old medic looked up at them, "I packed one in your subspace before we left. Just in case."

Swoop also turned to them with an amused grin on his face, "Creator Ratchet think of everything."

"Don't hesitate then." Skywarp patted the shuttle's arm playfully, "He's getting impatient."

Skyfire shook his head with a small smile and searched in his subspace, he soon found the coverall and mask designed for his size and a moment later he stepped inside the repair bay. The two Decepticons watched as he headed straight to their leader's berth, Thundercracker allowed a small smile to his lips watching Starscream's dark face, his expression contained so many emotions that the older Seeker didn't even try to determine what his sick trine mate was feeling at the moment. Even what he felt from him through their bond was a turmoil, but a positive one, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Shockwave?" he turned to Soundwave when the communications officer asked about the other's presence.

"You don't have to worry about him." Thundercracker answered, "He'll be back soon, but he won't be in your medics' way." he looked up at Optimus as he said that, and the Prime nodded. His usually tranquil expression carried concern that Thundercracker would have never thought would be towards any of them, but he couldn't help lean into the soothing sensation and almost fatherly support that radiated from the Autobot leader's EM field.

"Strange," the eldest Seeker murmured quietly, "that I feel calmer now that you are all here."

Skywarp nodded eagerly and Optimus looked down at the younger mech with tender sea-blue optics. "Thank Soundwave. He was the one who called us."

"And you agreed. We are enemies, yet... you came."

Optimus put a hand on the Decepticon's shoulder without a word. There was no need. It was clear to him how dedicated and worried these mechs were for their loved ones, and who was he to deny help from the helpless when they could give it?

"According to Ratchet, in the surgery room, it doesn't matter whether one is an Autobot or a Decepticon. They are all patients he had sworn to help to the best of his abilities."

"Soundwave," it was Blaster who spoke up, "I think you should go in."

He pointed to the last berth where Rumble lay, Ratchet and Swoop stood above him by the berth's sides and the older medic was looking up at them. He had just comm.-ed Blaster to tell him the Cassetticon asked for his creator - and would probably be much calmer if he were there with him. Soundwave grabbed the other tape deck's hand and pulled him to the door to enter together. His creations had known Blaster from long before the war, maybe his presence would distract Rumble enough to let the medics work on him...

* * *

"Rumble, try to focus on me." Ratchet put a hand on the mini-con's burning hot helm, "Can you recognise me?"

The cassette had just come out of recharge when they arrived; he still seemed dazed, and his optics' colour was so light they seemed to be white by then. His vents and fans were working hard to cool him down, and by their sounds, Ratchet assumed it wouldn't be long before they ceased functioning. He made a quick scan over the small frame, analyzing all the problems that came out of the results. The first thing he did was disconnecting the IV of energon that ran to the line normally delivering freshly processed energon from the tank to the pump, seeing all the cracks. Even without a scan, from the monitors' display he could tell the pump was giving up.

Now Rumble slowly turned his head to the direction of the old medic's voice, frowning hard as he still tried to see with his blind optics, "You sound... familiar." he finally whispered.

"I'm Ratchet, the Autobots' medic. Your creator called us to help. Now I need you to stay awake for a few breems and stay with me, then you can go back to recharge."

"Autobot...?" Rumble asked back, his optics widening a little, "W-why... I d-don't... where's Soundwave...?"

"He's out with the others." Ratchet looked up and when he saw Swoop was almost finished inserting the drain to Starscream's throat, he told Hoist to take his place and let the Dinobot come to help him, "Swoop, bring me the medical kit, please."

The young 'bot did as he was told and brought the kit over to the Cassetticon's berth. The mini-mech was venting unevenly and groaned, Ratchet could imagine how much pain he must have been experiencing. He again took a moment to put a hand on the small Decepticon's head and stroked it lightly to offer some comfort, even if it could not help his current condition.

"Should give suppressants?" Swoop asked with a worried frown as he opened the kit for Ratchet.

"He had already received a dose of nanites." the medic murmured, "And anyway, his energon lines are getting clogged, some close to bursting, it would be better to stop giving him energon altogether. Maybe that's why... frag, his energon tank is cracked and full, it's stretched to its limits. We'll suction him out properly as well as the energon from those lines. His pump is struggling to get energon to them and increases pressure, which in turn makes the cracks wider."

"But what we do then? Without energon, him Rumble enter stasis lock like Astrotrain. Cause processor damage."

"That's why I brought those batteries." Ratchet pointed into the kit just as Rumble groaned again, though it sounded more like a strained sob of pain.

"N-no..." the cassette mumbled, optics darting from one direction to the other rapidly, "don't do... I don't want to... Why can't I m-move...?"

"Because your energon reserves had been reverted to your vital systems." Ratchet answered him gently and sighed, "Would you be calmer if Soundwave were here with you?"

Ratchet didn't know Rumble well, didn't know what could have eased his distress, but that seemed to do the trick. The mini-con's tense frame relaxed a little and he nodded slowly, Ratchet looked up to see if the other mechs were still by the glass wall before he comm.-ed Blaster to send Soundwave in, just after telling Skyfire it was safe for him to come in to Starscream. Ratchet was a little surprised Blaster was coming as well, but shrugged it off - he was a dual spark, too, after all, and he wouldn't be in the way.

Ratchet gestured to Soundwave to stand next to him so he could explain what he was about to do while Blaster went to the other side where Swoop stood. He tried to hide the look of horror that, for a moment, crossed his face upon seeing the other tape decker's creation, the gruesome condition he was in. He bit his lips - he understood now why Soundwave was so desperate in calling them.

"Rumble," the cassette tried to turn his head in the direction of his creator's voice, "someone came to see you."

Blaster stepped closer and grabbed the little hand gently, startling the mini-mech, "Hey, little guy. It's me, Blaster."

Rumble's optics widened, and the Autobot could have sworn the smallest of smiles shone up on his lips, but it faded almost immediately. The Cassetticon's intakes hitched and he tried to squeeze Blaster's larger hand, but could hardly get his digits to move. Blaster watched with a sad smile as Soundwave extended a hand to wipe away a tiny droplet of coolant from the white optics and heard Ratchet heave a great sigh.

"You should have called us much sooner." he grumbled to Soundwave, "We are _doctors_ , Soundwave. Enemies or not, we _would_ have come. The medical oath is above any war."

Soundwave turned to him, "I appreciate it, but I'm afraid our situation was not that simple."

"I'm not here to argue with you." Ratchet murmured and reached into the medical kit, "Rumble's pump is about to fail, we will insert two batteries like this to his circuits to maintain proper charge. One we'll put next to the spark chamber, the other to his cortical tract within the dorsal neck cables for his processor, in order to replace the use of energon. It is not a long-term solution, but it will keep him online without having to use spark support. When we're ready, we'll suction out all excess fluids from leakages, and he should gain some of his sight back. I do believe it is a clog that prevents—"

A gurgled groan interrupted him, and Ratchet gestured to Blaster to pull out the curtain by the berth's side to separate them from the others as Rumble's back arched slightly, brownish liquid trickling down the side of his chin.

"Hold him, Swoop." the Dinobot did as he was told and Ratchet held up a bucket for the small mech, he cursed when Rumble started purging the rust-filled fluids from his now useless tank, "That's what I've been talking about. You should not have let their conditions worsen this far—"

"Ratchet," it was Blaster's voice, softer than usual this time, that interrupted him. He hurried to Soundwave's side when he saw the Decepticon freeze, "you're not helping."

He grabbed Soundwave's arm and pulled him away a little, turning him around so that he would not have to see what was happening to his creation. Blaster felt him tremble and the other tape decker was taking deep vents, Blaster could very well picture his expression behind the mask and visor. The Autobot sighed and folded his arms around his friend-turned-enemy, Soundwave buried his face into Blaster's shoulder, no longer caring who saw; his intakes hitched softly and his trembling refused to cease.

"He's right." he whispered and from hearing his tone, Blaster knew he had retracted his mask, allowing his emotions to reach through his voice. "I f-failed them."

Blaster's optics met Ratchet's, the old medic looked back at him with slight guilt and sympathy, but quickly turned back to tend to Rumble. "It's not your fault, 'Wave." the musician told his long-ago partner, "You did what you could. What more could you have done? I know you think yourself a bad creator right now, but you're certainly not one. You're just overwhelmed with worry. But none of this - is - your - fault."

Soundwave straightened up when he heard Rumble's choked whimper and turned around. Swoop still hadn't let go of the mini-mech, his intakes wheezed as Ratchet wiped his face with tender hands. "His pump is about to stop." he murmured, "Unhook him, Swoop, and we'll insert the batteries right away."

"W-why?..." Rumble managed whisper, "Why don't you jus'... let us die?"

"I did not come here to watch you perish." Ratchet replied and opened a small panel on the back of the Cassetticon's neck, "I'm putting you to recharge now." with a last stroke on his helm and in a gentle voice, he added, "You're going to feel better."

"Come on, Soundwave." Blaster pushed him away from the berth as Rumble's optics went offline. Perceptor just walked up to Starscream's berth where Skyfire sat, Hoist was preparing the Seeker for an energon drip, the scientist held a Petri dish in one hand and a data pad in the other, his expression full of fascination until he saw the two tape decks. He offered Soundwave a small smile which the communication's officer did not return - he instead locked his optics with Starscream's whose feverishly glowing eyes held a questioning look.

Soundwave opened his mouth, but then pressed his lips together. He did not covered his face with his mask, tracks of coolant glistened on the silvery faceplates, and Blaster thought it better to speak instead, "Ratchet and Swoop are doing their best."

That seemed to have been the answer Starscream was waiting for, for his shoulder slumped and he gave a curt nod. Blaster felt Soundwave lean more into his arm that he still kept around his shoulders, and saw he forced himself to listen to the Autobots' conversation;

"What is it, Perceptor?" Skyfire asked quietly, and the excited look returned to the scientist's features.

"I just looked over your findings, Starscream." Perceptor turned to the Seeker, "Though we knew about the progress you made thanks to Soundwave, but I still find it fantastic. You even managed to extract endonucleases to digest genomic DNA and analyze their genes. They look like fungal cells, eukaryotic in nature, but behave like prokaryote bacteria. And you did this all alone despite being sick... it's amazing. Let me ask you, this last record, with the restriction of radiation stopping this rapid mutation... would you confirm this is the cause?"

Skyfire, meanwhile, extended a hand to ask for the datapad Perceptor was holding to study its contents - Blaster noted his other hand never left Starscream's - and the Decepticon air commander turned towards Scavenger by Megatron's berth. The Constructicon almost jumped when his comm. link sprang to life with his officer's voice and he looked at Perceptor with wide optics.

"Um... he says it is for sure extreme radiation is the cause." Scavenger replied.

"Wait..." they all turned hearing Megatron's hoarse voice. He pushed First Aid out of the way and looked like he had just woken from a daze, eroded chest rising and falling as the support machine continued pumping air instead of his vents, "you're saying... we have a solution?"

"Well," it was Skyfire who replied, looking up with a small smile, "not _yet_ a solution, but Starscream found out why they mutate so fast, and if we can stop it, then we can finally work on a cure. Now... if we only knew what causes this extreme radiation—"

He felt Starscream tug at his hand and looked down to see the Seeker pointing weakly towards the other side of the bay where the huge Lightning Bug stood still, untouched since their arrival from Antilla. Everyone turned in its direction, a frown appearing on Skyfire's face. "Perceptor, could you please examine it for us?"

"Of course."

With that, the Autobot scientist walked away and Megatron let himself back down on the berth with a grunt, closing his optics. He felt someone lift his head and onlined his optics to see the young medic, First Aid slip an ice pack under his neck. The leader of the Decepticons stared at him for a moment, then looked out to the glass to Optimus before turning back to his third-in-command.

He frowned when his optics met Soundwave's. He noted his digits were clenched in a fist and he was pressing his lips together so hard they shook, clearly trying to force back tears - his whole frame was trembling and the Autobot tape decker held him as if he would fall apart without his support. Megatron did not even remember the last time he saw his loyal servant and friend in such state, but, if he thought about it, it made sense. Even the strongest of robots reached their limits sometimes.

"You called them?" the Gunformer asked, though there was no real anger in his tone.

Soundwave nodded and finally opened his mouth to take a shaky vent, "I apologize, my lord." his voice broke and he turned his head away, a drop of fresh coolant escaping from under his visor.

Megatron watched him for a klick. Something must have happened to Rumble, he theorized and was proven right when he saw the curtain hiding away his berth. "Get some rest." he finally said and saw Soundwave bow slightly before Blaster led him out of the repair bay just as Perceptor returned.

"It is right." he announced with a smile, "That device is a concentrated energy source and lets off high levels of radiation. We need to dispose of it and then clear the bay of the radiation."

"I'm sure Wheeljack has an invention for that." Skyfire added.

"Did you hear that, TC?" Skywarp grabbed his trine mate's arm after listening to their conversation, "Screamer did it!"

After watching Soundwave stride away, broken in Blaster's arms, Thundercracker felt as if monstrous claws were strangling his spark - but now he breathed a sigh of relief and allowed a tiny smile to his lips when he saw the relaxed expression on Starscream's face.

"Yes." he murmured, "He really did it."

"I am sure a cure will be found as well." Optimus spoke up, and the two Seekers could almost see his smile through the mask, "With such brilliant minds working together, even the impossible can become reality."

There was nothing more Thundercracker hoped for with all his spark.

* * *

"I guess..." Megatron spoke up with a faint voice after Perceptor's confirmation, either too tired or too sick to care about his pride and previous orders, "thanks are in order."

"I believe Starscream deserves the credits." Skyfire turned back down to his long-lost partner, "If it wasn't for his discoveries that cleared the way to finding a cure, we would still be just guessing... and would run out of time."

Starscream's optics met the shuttle's and slowly, a weak smile crept its way onto his lips just as they started forming words, muted words that looked suspiciously like he was saying,

_I won._


	11. Chapter 11

Even though Soundwave was determined not to break down in front of Megatron and the Autobots, he found he couldn't keep himself together longer than the moment they stepped into his quarters.

Blaster had followed him without a word, his former friend's loyalty left Soundwave both shocked and greatly thankful. His cassettes all had duties, they were alone in the large room and Soundwave couldn't help letting himself be pulled close to the other's frame, arms embracing him with gentle strength and the Decepticon third-in-command leant into it. Blaster did not say anything, did not reprimand him or made him feel any worse than he already did. And now, knowing he didn't have to be strong anymore, he let those withheld tears flow.

His creation was dying, and Blaster was probably the only one who could somehow understand what he was feeling.

It had been an awfully long time since he last cried, Soundwave almost totally forgot what it felt like. His intakes hitched again and his body shook with wild sobs, all the tension of the previous days bursting out of him as he buried his face deep into the red shoulder. He faintly felt Blaster's hand stroking circles on his back, neither saying a word, but Soundwave thought he wouldn't have been able to speak even if he had to. He felt like there was a lump in his throat, like icy hands were suffocating him.

But after what seemed like eternity, Blaster finally spoke up quietly, "Hey, 'Wave... I wouldn't tell ya to calm down 'cause I know you've got to get it out, but you're gonna make yourself sick like this."

His arms tightened around Soundwave when the other's intakes started hitching so violently it sounded like he was choking. Blaster worried his prediction would come true as Soundwave slumped in his arms, his frame starting to overheat. His sobs gave place to shaky vents, his trembling refused to cease even for a nanoklick.

"Soundwave, ya okay?" Blaster frowned and felt the other tape decker shook his head slightly against his neck cables.

"Dizzy." came the quiet answer, causing Blaster to unfold his arms from around Soundwave. He put a hand around his shoulder instead and guided him to the bigger berth and sat him down. The Autobot hurried over to the energon dispenser and got a cube before returning to the trembling Decepticon. The energon was soothingly cool as Soundwave drank all its contents slowly, Blaster sat beside him with an arm still around his waist.

"Easy." Blaster told him and put away the empty cube once Soundwave was finished, "Better now?"

Soundwave nodded and wiped away the coolant from his face. He felt his counterpart lift his chin, gently forcing him to look into those bright blue, accepting optics.

"Let me see your face." Blaster asked him quietly, "We're alone. I want to know everything you truly feel."

After a moment of hesitation, Soundwave finally retracted his visor as well, baring his face fully to the other dual-spark. Amber optics still glistened with coolant and a little dull, but at least he was calming down and his erratic ventilations evened. They sat wordlessly for a while before Blaster broke the silence again.

"Is it because of what Ratchet said?"

Soundwave looked down, as if suddenly ashamed of his breakdown, "Partly." he answered, his tone soft, "Because I knew he was right."

Blaster heaved a great sigh, "Well, maybe he was right in that you could have called us sooner, but still, he shouldn't have started to argue and shouldn't have added to your growing distress. And I guess, as you said, you would have called had things been different, right?"

Soundwave again just nodded, a familiar trait that Blaster knew for stellar cycles. The usually stoic mech tended to lock himself up even more if things went wrong around him and if he felt he could have done something to prevent it. It was clear to Blaster that he was taking all the guilt to himself, no matter how much it consumed him.

"I know that no matter what I say would stop you from blaming yourself." Blaster started, "And knowing you, you did not let yourself rest in these past cycles. You bottle everything up, you piled up a huge burden on yourself it was inevitable you would break under it. You just simply reached that breaking point, but now that you're through it, it can only get better. Ya just... need to rest it off. I guess you haven't even been rechargin' properly."

He sighed when Soundwave just shrugged. He helped him lie down on the berth before climbing up on its other half and faced his former friend.

"You know, Ratch didn't mean it. His purpose wasn't to make ya more upset, he's just worried. He cares for his patients, no matter who they are, it's just... well, you know his temper. But, you know, he can understand how ya feel, since he's a creator himself."

Soundwave finally looked up at him with surprise, a spark of curiosity shining up in his optics.

"The Dinobots." Blaster answered his unspoken question, "Wheeljack was their main creator, but Ratchet helped a lot and took care of them. It was him who inspired Swoop to study to be a medic." the tape decker smiled a little, "So, I just wanted to say that he will do everything in his power to make Rumble better. And you can talk to me... or just cry or hug or anything you feel like doing. I'm here with ya."

"Blaster... you are very... forgiving."

A chuckle vibrated through the Autobot's frame.

"We promised, remember? When it's about our lil' guys we're not enemies. They come first. And anyway... I bet you have been taking care of everything and everyone here. It's time someone took care of _you_."

That broke the last of his defenses, and again Soundwave found himself burying his face deep within his fellow dual-spark's chest, the downpour of coolant and the shudderings of his body beyond his control. Blaster did not push him away, instead folded an arm around him to pull him closer, to let him know that it didn't matter, he didn't have to be the unflappable Decepticon, the almighty shadow of the night for anyone, especially not for Blaster.

"Jus' cry it out." the usually gleeful Autobot encouraged him, "And don't think you're weak because of this. You've been many things throughout the stellar cycles, but never weak."

Soundwave allowed a small smile to his lips before he curled in on himself, content for the moment in that welcoming embrace, tearful face pressed against the glass of Blaster's chest compartment, Soundwave let the light hum of the other tape deck's spark lull him into a much needed sleep. A joor later, when Ravage entered their quarters, he found them like this; Soundwave deep in a fluxless recharge, next to him Blaster, who hardly dared move in order not to wake him. He only raised a hand to hold one digit in front of his mouth in a gesture to Ravage to stay quiet.

After a moment of hesitation, Soundwave's eldest creation gave a curt nod and left the room, the peaceful, faint waves coming from his creator reassured him that he was alright with Blaster. They had known the other dual-spark, back before the war and though it came to him as a bit of a surprise, in the end, Ravage could understand that Soundwave would calm down with him. He wouldn't let them see him like this anyway - it was Blaster's privilege, and his alone.

He understood. Ravage sent a short message to his fellow creations not to disturb them, let Soundwave have his time to collect himself - he needed it.

* * *

"Is Wheeljack coming?" Ratchet asked whoever was standing close, never looking up from his task. After finishing wiring the batteries to Rumble's circuits and cleaning him out, he was now back on his berth with forehead plating open, Ratchet positioned a thick needle above the protoform.

"Yes," it was Perceptor who answered him, "and he's bringing the deradiator."

Things went smoothly so far. Hook had come back, somewhat calmer now, and went to aid Scrapper in watching over Astrotrain; the Lightning Bug had been disposed of, and, upon Megatron's order, set to be destroyed. A weapon the warlord held high hopes for what seemed like a long time ago, when in fact it had been mere days since their journey to Antilla. Now, that hopefulness turned into hatred and, maybe, a little bit of guilt. After all, _he_ wanted to bring the Bug back to Earth to destroy the Autobots at all cost, destroy the ones who were now helping them without judgement.

Life sure had a way to throw everything upside down.

"Good." Ratchet nodded and stabbed the needle into Rumble's protoform, just above his optics. The cassette was still in induced stasis and Ratchet wanted to wake him when he was finished - he needed to see how much of his sight he would gain back. And how he generally felt. They all had to endure their condition for at least one more day until all the radiation could be cleared away and their scientist team could come up with a cure.

And, though Ratchet never let his concentration wander from the task of clearing away the clog from Rumble's neural lines, he caught on glimpses of the conversation that went back and forth between the three mechs now at Starscream's berth. Shockwave had come back, too, the glare he received from Thundercracker and Skywarp made him shut his vocalizer and now he relayed what Starscream told him through their comm. to the others. After all, Starscream and Skyfire _were_ astrobiologists and Perceptor had a fascination for the organic life here on Earth and thus started studying them since he arrived with Skyfire.

The Autobots, strangely, did not seem angry upon seeing him - the two scientists even invited him to join in their discussion, though his expertise really did not extend to organic microbes. What Starscream had let him learn and do was clearly not enough, but despite that, they did manage to make a breakthrough, and the first step towards finding a cure had been taken. The Lightning Bug was no longer in the repair bay, and the Autobot mechanic Wheeljack would shortly arrive to help further.

Shockwave could not do much, but make himself believe that what little he did and was doing now would save Megatron. After all, it was all for their leader. Not about him.

"So, you excluded all these organic chemicals that are normally used for disinfection, and you also say they did not react to chlorine?" it was Skyfire who asked the question that Ratchet caught.

Starscream's berth had been raised slightly to help him sit, though his intakes were turning a bit shaky again. Nevertheless, he nodded carefully; even though the drain was cleaning his throat, it did not help the urge to cough.

"Starscream started with what is normally used against iron bacteria," Shockwave spoke the Seeker's words, "since the microbes' nature is similar to them. He then tried more general and stronger compounds, but the mutation made them resistant quickly. Chemicals stronger than these might do more damage than good to the Cybertronian body."

"Creator Ratchet," Swoop's close, quiet voice made the medic glance up, "him Rumble shaking."

"Yes, I see." Ratchet murmured as he looked down at the small, trembling body, "He's cold. No wonder, without energon. His thermostat had failed before we came, and his systems are no longer fighting the disease. Though it's a good thing he's shivering; it means his sensors are still reacting. I'm almost there..."

"Maybe something more complicated?" Skyfire's voice again, "You said their cell walls were like fungal walls. That's their only protection. If we could find something that can get through it or dissolve it altogether..."

After a moment of hesitation, Shockwave spoke, "He asks if you mean a fungicide. A natural compound, maybe?"

Skyfire nodded slowly, "Well, there are... bacteria and plants that produce toxins that can kill off fungi—... Starscream?"

"Let him lie back down..."

"Done." Ratchet said with a sigh and slowly pulled the needle out of Rumble's protoform and looked up at the young Dinobot with a small smile. "Swoop, would you close the wound? He doesn't have repair nanites now."

With that, Ratchet finally straightened up and walked up to Starscream's berth. The Seeker was venting deeply and held his head, optics offline. Skyfire never left his side and Perceptor wore a worried frown while Shockwave was now back by Megatron's berth. "Can I help?" Ratchet asked, looking over the Decepticon air commander.

Hoist looked up at him, "No, thank you. A dizzy spell, and he's overheating."

"Like all of them." Ratchet muttered, but then turned back to Rumble. Except him. The mini-con was still shivering and the old medic felt a pang of guilt when he looked out to the window and saw that Soundwave and Blaster were no longer there; however, Rumble's twin Frenzy now stood there close to Skywarp - he noted the purple Seeker kept a hand on the cassette's shoulder - with an expression that could be a mixture of fear, curiosity and hope. Ratchet heaved a great sigh and turned to the only Constructicon who was still there and tending to Megatron at the moment.

"Scavenger," he called to him quietly, "can you tell me where can I find a blanket?"

Scavenger's optics widened in surprise and he stammered telling him where to get one from. Ratchet turned to the glass one last time to gesture to Frenzy to come inside before walking back to Rumble. Swoop had just finished patching up the small wound and Ratchet covered the once-purple mini-mech with the warming blanket just as the other Cassetticon arrived, EM field eagerly wrapping around his brother, trying to find a reaction.

"How's he?" he asked quickly, not even turning to the Autobots.

"We'll see shortly." Ratchet replied as he gently turned Rumble's head to the side to reach the back of his neck, opening a small panel just at the base of his head, "Come on, kid. Show us if it worked."

* * *

"Perceptor?" Skyfire's gently spoken question brought the other 'bot back to reality, "you've been quiet."

Perceptor shifted his gaze from the space shuttle to Starscream. The Seeker still looked like he was about to purge, he was clutching Skyfire's hand as if afraid the Autobot would be gone if he let go. He looked so bad, so _terrible_ , it was hard to believe this was the proud air commander of the Decepticons, the fastest flyer on Cybertron who had proven his agility and strength in many battles. Starscream _was_ a fighter, in all senses of the word, but he truly looked like he was fighting a losing battle.

"Just thinking..." Perceptor finally replied, his voice quiet and he took a step closer to the two Vosians, "Wheeljack and I have been working on an artificial substance... an element that we managed to stabilize. It reacts with razon gas and keeps it in liquid form."

"And how can we use it?"

"When we saw it cleared away all discolourations on the containers, we... tried it on one of Sparkplug's devices and saw it acted as an anti-corrosive agent."

Skyfire's optics shone up, "Can it be used on Cybertronians?"

"Inside and out?" Hoist added hopefully, but Perceptor raised up a hand.

"We haven't tried yet. It was just an idea." He fell silent again for a moment, "We'll see what it can do with Wheeljack, once we get back to base. And it won't kill the microbes, at least I don't think so. Just clear away the rust."

"It's still something." Skyfire smiled down at Starscream, "I'll come up with something about the microbes, Star. I promise you that."

He recieved a dazed smile from the Decepticon, it seemed he did not have strength for anything more. But it was enough. Skyfire knew he could still understand everything, his mind was clear and sharp as ever, and he also knew Starscream would trust him with continuing his research. He was probably the only bot the Seeker would have been willing to give it all.

Starscream felt calm.


	12. Chapter 12

"Wheeljack is here."

Ratchet looked up and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his partner outside the glass wall. Optimus and the Decepticon Seekers, by then, looked quite comfortable in each other's presence, but Wheeljack still shifted shyly on his peds as he stood among them with a large case in his hand. Ratchet straightened for a moment to go over to him, but saw Thundercracker already telling him where to go in and find the coveralls, for which he was grateful - it was right at that moment that a shaky vent brought his attention back to the small mech lying before him.

A pair of faint, but definitely red, optics flickered to life and looked around weakly. Frenzy stayed motionless as he waited for his twin to find him and when he finally did, they just stared at each other for a moment before a small smile broke on Rumble's cracked lips.

"Hey, Zee." the feeble words brought a deep sigh of relief from Ratchet and Swoop smiled brightly. He turned around to greet Wheeljack, giving him the same smile. The mechanic moved to set up the deradiator where Perceptor showed him and Swoop turned back to the soft gasp Frenzy let out.

"Y-you can see!" he exclaimed quietly, earning a chuckle from Ratchet.

"One problem solved." he said and leant down to the mini-mech, "How are you feeling?"

The mini-con's gaze was clear now and he did not seem as delirious as the first time he awoke, which was a good thing and now Ratchet dared to ask him this question. Rumble re-focused his optics on the older medic, his vision was still blurred, but it was better than nothing. He needed a moment to decide what _exactly_ he was feeling and needed to collect his strength to speak.

"Bit better." he whispered, "Jus' cold... and I can't feel... pain, just up from my chest."

At that, Frenzy's smile turned into a frown, "Isn't that... bad?"

Ratchet sighed and scanned Rumble again. He was aware of a hole on the cassette's waist, and even though it was covered he knew it was deep, but he had to tend to more serious matters first - it was now that he could pay attention to the corrosion caused wounds, that one in particular. He didn't wonder before that Rumble couldn't move, it was because of his energon leaks and low reserves, but now it had an entirely different reason.

"Can you move your hand?" The medic asked and watched as the mini-mech slowly curled in his digits. He nodded, "You're right, Frenzy, it's not good. The corrosion had severed your backstruts and circuitry, Rumble, but I heard you have a neurosurgeon on base."

"Yeah..." Frenzy nodded slowly, "Bombshell."

Ratchet gave a nod. "He should be able to treat this problem. After we treated _this_ problem." he pointed at a rust spot on Rumble's chest. The older Autobot looked up to check on Wheeljack, he would need his partner shortly, but now he turned back to the shivering mini-con.

"We have successfully inserted the batteries," he said calmly, "and your spark-readings are satisfactory. How's the pain?"

"Bearable." came the quiet answer after a few moments.

"Alright. I have numbed your pain receptors a little, though you must understand I cannot shut them off completely. Since you have no circulation now, we could only give you local suppression. I'm afraid I can't do more for you until we can find a cure." Ratchet glanced up and smiled a little when his gaze met Wheeljack's, "Except for maybe one thing."

With that, Ratchet made his way over to the mechanic, leaving the three mechs for the time being. Swoop looked after him, trying to see what he was picking out of Wheeljack's case when again Frenzy's voice brought his attention back to the cassette twins.

"So, uh... you're a Dinobot, right? We didn't know you guys had the processor... I mean, that you could... well, you know..."

Swoop snorted, "Learn to be medic?" he finished instead of Frenzy.

"Well... yeah."

"Me still in training." Swoop answered, "Creator Ratchet offer to teach. Him teach well, let me watch and do minor repairs... but me still can't operate alone."

"You... must be good, though." Rumble whispered and smiled weakly, "Heh... I don't feel like... wanting to die anymore."

"That good." Swoop also allowed a small smile to his lips, "But it Creator Ratchet's doing. Me just assist."

"Still, you made him better." Frenzy looked up at the young Dinobot, then rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "Thank you, and, um... sorry if I—"

Swoop just waved a hand, "No matter, me Swoop get that often. Me glad we could do good. This is hardest case me ever see."

"You know, you're pretty cool... for a Dinobot, I mean." Frenzy grinned, and Swoop couldn't help play along with a mischievous glint in his optics.

"Me guess you cassette menaces not too bad either." Swoop just looked up to see Ratchet entering the operating room where Astrotrain was still kept and took a deep vent, his tone turning serious, "Me think Creator Ratchet have some plan, but me stay here with you. You Rumble rest."

"Will do. I still feel like fresh slag." the purple Cassetticon mumbled and focused his optics on his brother, "Frenzy... is... Soundwave's not here?"

"In our quarters." his twin's grin grew, "He's receiving a therapy called Blaster."

"So, he... really _was_ here?"

It was Swoop who answered him, "Him Blaster here. Him tell you need us and want come help him Soundwave."

There was a moment of silence between the three, only the sounds of machines and quiet talking filled the background. Rumble allowed his optics to flicker offline and his frame slumped in relaxation, the pain throbbing through his body had numbed a little, enough to let him rest. He felt someone pull the warming blanket further up to his neck when a shiver ran down his frame, and digits, equally small as his, ghosted upon his face in a gentle caress that reminded him of their creator.

Creator was calm now. And so was he.

* * *

The monitor's beeps were short and steady for now, but the magnitude of the spark just dropped again, despite the controlling charges the support machine provided to stabilize the fading life energy. The artificial ventilation system created a whooshing sound that accompanied the beeps, but otherwise the room was quiet; its two conscious occupants did not say a word to each other, already done discussing what could - or rather, could not be done for the triple-changer lying on the table.

The silence, however, was soon broken when the door opened to reveal the Autobot medic chief, the one named Ratchet with a smaller box in his hand. He stopped when his gaze met the two Constructicons' and all three tensed up. It was Ratchet who raised a hand up first and took a step forward.

"I came to see if there were any changes in Astrotrain's condition."

Hook snorted, "Nothing except for the slow worsening." they looked at each other with Scrapper before he continued in a low, hushed tone, "Maybe it would be better if we let the inevitable happen. Astrotrain's body is as good as scrapmetal, and... he's now nothing more than waste on energy and resources."

"Now, I cannot agree with that." Ratchet came even closer, his gaze fell on the once strong flyer's cracked face, "It may be true most of his frame have succumbed to the rust, but, according to Starscream's studies, the microbes cannot ingest _all_ kinds of metal. These," he opened the small box to reveal ampules that were half-filled with a light-coloured metallic substance, "are tironium injections. The microbes' favourite seems to be cybertonium, and tironium is light enough to create a film around our metals without damaging the protoformal systems."

He picked one up and gave it to Scrapper, who took the injection hesitantly. Hook released a frustrated sigh.

"These won't cure them, nor undo the damage."

"No, they won't, but it can give us time until Perceptor and Skyfire find out what _can_ cure them. These are small doses, enough for the vital organs. Since you managed to maintain Astrotrain's energon circulation, you can give him intravenously. It's light enough not to clog the pores."

"Tironium is only applied on armory."

" _Small doses_ like _these_ can work on the protoform in an emergency like this." Ratchet argued back, and seeing Hook's still distrustful look, he vented deeply, "Look, we are not here to replace you. This repair bay is still yours. We are here to assist you, but I cannot help if you won't let me. I'm willing to let go of grudges if there's a life to be saved."

He reached out to him with another syringe in his hand, but Hook did not move. Scrapper sighed as his gestalt mate again eyed the old medic before speaking up,

"Don't misunderstand me, Autobot. I do not wish Astrotrain's death. But we've been treating them for five solar cycles now, without much of a success. Despite our best efforts, their conditions just worsened, and here we are now. Nothing we did helped and I haven't seen, during my career, anything that could have convinced me that miracles can happen. Not even miracle medics."

"Then let me try."

Hook finally took the injection from the other's hand and stared down at it for a long moment before heaving a great sigh, "Do you really think he can still be saved?"

Ratchet's voice quieted down, too, as he again looked down on Astrotrain, "As long as his spark is pulsing, we should assist him in this battle."

* * *

"Starscream..." he heard someone calling him, a large, gentle hand squeezed his own. But the voice wasn't Skyfire's...

"Starscream, I need you awake for just one more klick."

Oh, yes. The Autobot that was treating him. Hoist.

The Seeker slowly onlined his optics. Nothing changed since he closed them - Skyfire was still there, looking at him with those intensely shining blue optics, and there was Hoist leaning over him. Starscream groaned; his tank was rolling and it felt like his spark was doing flip-flops in his chest. He did not want to be awake, surely Skyfire could manage now without him...

Hoist went on now that he saw Starscream was listening, "I am going to give you tironium injections now on Ratchet's orders. Hopefully, it'll stop the advance of the disease long enough. It will be a bit unpleasant, but I can give you a little painkiller if you wish. I'm going to administer them half joors apart to let your systems settle."

Starscream frowned a little, but did not protest as Hoist pushed the first carefully into a medical port on his side. As he said, he did not pick up another one, just sat down on the berth and checked Starscream's vitals. The Seeker had just noticed that Perceptor wasn't there anymore, he was standing by a strange device with another Autobot that the air commander soon came to recognise as their inventor, Wheeljack, probably discussing that ingredient he had mentioned.

It was still hard to believe this was happening. Hard to believe that just a few days ago they were excitedly preparing for a journey and plot against the Autobots, and now they were lying in what yesterday were their death berths, and the Autobots were helping them. Hard to believe, even though it all happened as he imagined. And even Skyfire came, it was just like back in the old days, when their biggest problem was preparing for an expedition. Just like in a dream...

_Dream._

Starscream's optics widened and he squeezed Skyfire's hand to catch his attention. Scavenger soon turned towards them again, his gaze on Starscream for a few moments before he averted it to the space shuttle.

"He's talking about... an expedition, some planet called Virida and Earth. You supposedly used a solution to prevent infection from microbes."

Skyfire frowned. They had many expeditions with Starscream and they used many chemicals for extraction and storage of samples, or to protect themselves against the local biosphere. They had brought along most of those to Earth, too.

"Which one, Starscream?" he couldn't help ask, earning a frown from the Seeker.

"He says it was something you yourself made. An organic compound from a chemical you got from... one of your expeditions."

Skyfire sighed, "Since you revived me, my memories have faded a little. Must be because, as you told me, it was hard to reboot my processor... and I wish I kept my old notes. But I'll try to remember. It must be in my memory banks still..."

"Maybe Bombshell can help you get access to your lost memory files when he comes back." Scavenger shrugged.

"He's a neurosurgeon as you said." it was First Aid this time, turning towards them to join in the conversation. He had already given Megatron the first dose of tironium and could do nothing more for the Gunformer for a while but let him rest, "They deal with the physical treatment of the processor and circuitry. For this, you may need a mnemosurgeon or a programmer."

"The Autobot is right." they heard a new voice and span around to see the Insecticon who still looked a bit wary, "Though there _is_ a telepath among the Decepticon ranks."

"Bombshell..." he turned towards the red Cassetticon when he called him and made his way over to Rumble just as Ratchet came out with a now empty box in his hand. He went over to Perceptor and Wheeljack to fetch a new one, the two scientists did not even notice him, being so deep in their conversation. Skyfire smiled at them a little - seeing their expressions, it seemed they were making progress, at least in mind. And knowing Wheeljack, he would not hesitate to put his plans to action.

"I'll ask Soundwave then." the space shuttle said quietly and turned back to his former partner, "Until then, give me your comm. frequency, Starscream, so I can call you when I figured it all out."

* * *

"Come on, Swoop." Ratchet gently pushed his hand on the Dinobot's back, "You should go with them."

The others were preparing to leave, Wheeljack and Perceptor had already gone out and Skyfire was leaving Starscream, too, now that the latter has fallen into recharge. The deradiator was working and would clear away all the radiation by the next solar cycle and they were now almost finished giving the four mechs all the tironium injections. Their conditions did not change and there was nothing more they could do for them for now except for monitoring.

"Me Swoop can't stay? Help?"

"There's nothing more to be done." Ratchet answered, "First Aid and Hoist are staying, too. I want you tomorrow well-rested, and anyway, you can help Skyfire and Percy load the CR-chambers."

Swoop took a last glance in Rumble's direction and received a loving pat on the shoulder from his creator, "You did well today. I'm really proud of you."

The Dinobot gave him a smile and finally made his way over to the exit. He saw the two tape deckers were now back as well, Soundwave still looked like he could have used a little more rest, but did not allow himself that - his frame already wasn't as tense when they arrived and Blaster wore a small smile, too, when their gazes met. Skyfire hurried over to Soundwave and was explaining him something rather quickly, Swoop noted, but Soundwave simply gave a nod. The young mech felt another pat on his shoulder and this time it was Wheeljack who looked back at him with bright optics.

"Ratch told me how well you dealt with all the problems." he beamed, Swoop could see he was smiling even through his mask, "Really, when's he planning to give you your own case?"

Swoop chuckled a little, his spark swelling with pride at their creators' praising words, "Me not _that_ good yet. Need learn more."

"Shall we leave?" it was Optimus this time, and everyone nodded slowly. The young Dinobot smiled in amusement as he watched Blaster walk up to the glass and wave with a grin on his face, and shortly received a happy wave back from Frenzy and a feeble one from Rumble before he turned away to join the others.

"Are you ready, Skyfire?"

Swoop turned to him just in time to see Soundwave lowering his hands from the space shuttle's helm and Skyfire gave a nod, seeming a little dazed.

"Yes... we can leave."

"I'll escort you out." Thundercracker offered while Skywarp stayed at the repair bay, waving to them just as Blaster did to the cassette twins. Swoop watched Soundwave walk up to the glass as well, their hands brushing together with Blaster before they rounded a corner and the two Decepticons were gone from their sight. Swoop sighed, his expression turning sad this time as the picture of the stoic mech, a creator broken by worry burnt itself into his memory banks.

This was something he was not looking forward to when he would one day start working as a real medic.

"Hey, son, what is it?" Wheeljack again, his voice quieter and gentle when he saw the Dinobot's sorrowful expression.

"Me just think... about him Rumble and Soundwave."

"Yeah... it must've been pretty hard for him. But remember that you made them better today, and we can save them. He won't lose his creation."

"Creator Wheeljack," Swoop turned to him, his optics veiled by glassy coolant and his voice nothing more than a whisper, "Me not want lose you or Creator Ratchet... ever."

The inventor smiled softly and put his arm around his creation's shoulder as they walked down the corridors. He was always touched by their love for him, even if they couldn't always express it the right way, but, after the day's events and everything he saw, he couldn't promise that he'd always be there for them. No matter how much he wanted.

Reality was crueller than that.

It was well in the afternoon when they arrived back at the Ark. Many mechs were waiting for them at the entrance, asking questions and demanding to know everything that had been going on at the Decepticons' Base. Skyfire was quiet throughout the whole journey, silently sorting out memory filed that, thanks to Soundwave, were now within his reach. He remembered the chemicals now and the various expeditions, but exactly what made up each of them was something harder than he thought. A solution he himself made... from an organic compound he found on—

"Skyfire? Is everything alright?" Ironhide asked him when he saw the shuttle tense up. Skyfire didn't answer, however - a smile broke on his lips slowly and his optics shone up with newfound excitement before, following a happy laugh, he announced,

"I got it!"


	13. Chapter 13

Starscream jerked awake when his comm. sprang to life. At first, he did not even recognise the voice that started talking frantically on the other end, his systems were too slow to reboot after this sudden call. He saw the young Autobot medic, First Aid run up to him, but Starscream waved him away. He shut his optics and mouth tight and waited for his systems to calm down before trying to stop the ranting of his former partner.

:: _Skyfire, please... slow down! I didn't understand anything you said._ ::

:: _I'm sorry, Star, I'm just... alright, I'll start again. I asked Soundwave to help me get access to my lost memory files about the chemicals we brought to our expeditions and you said this was the one I made for Earth after Virida. I noticed on Virida that around some trees, roughly the same species, there were hardly any harmful bacteria and the roots were clear of fungi. I took a sample from their bark and during the distillations, one of the compounds I extracted acted as an antifungal and antimicrobial agent._ ::

:: _But..._ :: Starscream frowned, :: _can it be... synthesized here? On Earth?_ ::

:: _Oh, the humans use it, too! They have for at least a hundred years against their own microbes and bacteria. They even use it as a corrosion inhibitor on ferrous alloys! On Earth, they call it a kind of phenyl-propenal. It's extracted from the bark of cinnamon trees._ ::

:: _I... Is that... cinnamaldehyde?_ :: Starscream's optics widened. He had heard of it, he had researched about many chemicals found and used on Earth. As much as he despised the humans, their science was interesting and their methods not as bad as he thought, though he didn't think much about the local flora, and as such, he brushed this knowledge aside.

:: _Yes, that is what the workers called it. I asked for a load and we have already tried it out with Perceptor and Wheeljack. Their mixture of razon gas and their stabilized ingredient had reacted well with this organic compound. I now remember why I used it. It inhibits the function of their glucan synthase enzymes and the chitin synthases, too, which—_ ::

:: _Synthesize the monomers of their cell walls..._ :: Starscream finished his sentence with a small smile. :: _I knew you would find it, Skyfire._ ::

The Seeker vented deeply and offlined his optics again. No matter how happy he became over Skyfire's good news, his body still felt as if it were on fire. Pain seared through his frame and made the nauseous swirling in his tank even worse, his spark felt ready to explode out of its chamber. Starscream raised a hand shakily to his chest, and tried not to concentrate too much on his rebellious body and listen to Skyfire's voice instead.

:: _As of the latest tests, everything seems stable,_ :: the space shuttle continued, :: _Wheeljack tried it on... well... different subjects and all went well, fortunately. The razon still remains liquid on this temperature thanks to the bonds it makes with 'Jack's ingredient and Perceptor confirmed that it would remain so as the two keep each other from dissolving or evaporating, and the cinnamaldehyde does not interfere much with this system... it will work, Starscream. Right now, Perceptor is using his matter duplicator to make more to fill all four CR-chambers._ ::

:: _I take it you're still working... even though it's close to midnight now._ :: Starscream allowed a small smile to his lips.

Skyfire chuckled a little, :: _Yeah... well... we'll be resting now. We just wanted to make everything ready and make sure everything worked. I'll be taking the four CR-chambers over to your base early in the next solar cycle. We have already discussed everything with Optimus and Ratchet. It will be alright, Starscream. You made it all possible._ ::

"Starscream, what do you feel?" the Seeker heard the Autobot ask quietly and Starscream onlined his optics to see First Aid lean above him. He had just noticed his hand was still on his chest, that must have been what alerted the young medic.

The air commander vented deeply and grabbed First Aid's hand, silently asking him to help him sit. Dizziness washed over him in this new position and pain stung at his chest, Starscream clasped a hand over his mouth, but he managed to make out Skyfire's words in his head.

:: _And anyway, have things changed since we've gone home? How are you, Starscream?_ ::

:: _I'm going to purge._ ::

:: _Oh... then I guess I should leave you alone a little._ :: An embarrassed chuckle was the last thing Starscream heard before First Aid pushed his head down as choking coughs erupted from his raw throat. He clutched his mid-section at the burning sensation, blood trickled down his lips, something they grew used to over the last few days, but was nevertheless horrifying. Shaky ventilations shook Starscream's frame, his cooling fans' whining seemed to come from a far distance.

:: _I'm here._ :: he sent through the comm. to Skyfire and he swore he could hear a sigh of relief from the space shuttle.

:: _I hope you'll be feeling better. Just hold on, Star. Get some recharge and the next time you wake up, you'll be better._ ::

"Starscream?" even through his daze as First Aid carefully helped him lie back down, the Seeker heard Megatron's hoarse whispering from his side. He slowly turned his head towards his leader and they just stared at each other for a while before Megatron decided to speak.

"You were receiving a comm... didn't you?"

:: _Skyfire..._ :: he answered him and took a deep vent. His energon pump's beats were becoming erratic and his vision kept blacking out. He started shivering, but gathered his strength to answer, :: _they are ready._ ::

Megatron's frame slumped in relief and he turned back to his second, "He was right... you did... you did well, Starscream."

As if that was all he had been waiting to hear - a tiny, weak smile flickered to the Seeker's lips and a klick later, his optics darkened into blackness and his whole frame became still.

"His spark... Ratchet, his spark is fading!"

Perfectly still.

"Jumpstart him, quick..."

"Don't just stand there!..."

:: _Starscream?_ ::

"Starscream!" Megatron pushed himself up, his optics wide. His air commander just laid there, beautiful like a porcelain doll.

"Still the same..."

"...pressure dropped..."

"Don't you dare..."

... _STARSCREAM_...

* * *

It took too long for Starscream's liking. He tended to get impatient quickly when things didn't go the way he wanted. Rebooting his processor was harder than he thought, and he hated being aware yet unable to even online his optics. He felt that he was floating, his body weightless and everything was easy. Simple and easy.

_I am Starscream._

Skyfire smiled down at him, the Seeker could see his reflection - his pouting frown - in his bright blue optics. He did not receive the scientific award for the best of the year and neither did Skyfire, but his friend reassured him that the expedition was still theirs. And maybe their findings would bring them an award the next stellar cycle. Though, Starscream knew Skyfire wasn't doing this for any award, he simply enjoyed being out there and research. An enthusiasm they both shared. It was him who was always unsatisfied.

_Elite Seeker of Vos._

The uprisings grew more and more serious. The one named Megatron seemed invincible. Starscream had listened to one of his speeches... he seemed rather charismatic and inspiring - at least for someone so uneducated. He was fighting for something he believed in, and the crowd made him a hero. And where was he? He had been working and researching for stellar cycles, and the Scientific Division was just _starting_ to give him some credit. Only Skyfire could make him see that it was all worth it, that they _too_ lived for their passion.

Starscream cursed as he dropped a vial, the weak glass shattered on the floor in billions of shining diamonds.

_Astrobiologist of the Iaconian Aerial Academy._

His fist left a dent on the metal wall of his room, his body shook with unsuppressed rage. Thundercracker put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down, but it was no use. Nothing worked. No amount of convincing himself it was just a nightmare. Nothing would bring Skyfire back . The older Seeker enclosed him in his arms, but he broke free and ran to the platform to transform and fly away. Skywarp's worried optics were the last thing he saw.

_Air Commander of the Decepticon Army._

Strong digits closed around his neck cables, choking him while the hand held him high. One of his optics was shattered and blinded, but he could still see and sense the fury radiating from the grey mech before him. Many of their men had been lost in the last battle, and, of course, the blame was on him. Who else to vent his frustration out on? Starscream pleaded him to let him go, pleaded to see that charismatic mech he once dreamt of following and wanted to become like. Where was he? Who was this angry, blinded tyrant?

_Second-in-command only to Megatron._

He was the one who woke him up. They were still in the Ark, all the Autobots were in stasis around them. Thundercracker and Skywarp were standing behind him and the Gunformer stood up, too, pulling Starscream to his feet. They looked... different. But at least they survived and order was slowly made. Plotting, obeying, betraying, bowing, and all was well in the world.

" _Starscream... die again... kill you..._ " the voice was muffled and hardly understandable, but sounded suspiciously like Skywarp's. Starscream wanted to online his optics, but did not have the strength to do so. As if his body couldn't obey any of his commands. What he felt was a strange, strong taste and fluids all around him, slightly cold, but not unpleasant. Buoyancy pushed him up a little, but his wrists and legs were restrained, a loose belt around his middle did not let him float too high.

Now that he thought about it, it was quite peaceful. Recharge came easier than ever.

* * *

Starscream guessed it must have been quite some time since he first regained consciousness. He now felt he was kept in a rather small space, yet his claustrophobia did not kick in. His whole body was itching, but it didn't hurt. He wasn't overheating anymore. He was hearing voices outside his confinement and found the strength and will to online his optics. Dull, orangish colour surrounded him. He tried to turn his head in the direction of the voices. Hazy figures stood on the other side of the glass. One of them had wings like him.

"Starscream...?" he could make out his name in the deep, gruff voice. Thundercracker.

"...he... awake... spark is... not yet..."

"Wait... just two cycles..."

Right. He just had to wait more. His optics closed.

* * *

His awakening was rather rude.

The liquid around him was drained away slowly, leaving him shivering and feeling stuffed. His optics shut tight, Starscream felt light-headed as strong hands pulled him out of the CR-chamber slowly and carefully and he landed in thick, massive arms. The Seeker coughed hard, the fluids still filled up his filters and tanks. His back was pushed to a broad chest and he was held securely as the chamber's liquids poured from his seams, ports, mouth and olfactories, it took awfully long till he purged everything he could from his insides. He was left trembling in those strong arms that picked him up and soon hauled him onto a berth, frame still dripping and vision hazy.

His first breath was heavy and gurgled and he felt terribly weak, but it was finally over. It would be a long time until his body could fully recover, but the hardest part was behind him now. When his optics cleared enough, Starscream raised a hand shakily up to examine it and smiled a little at what he saw - the holes and cracks still remained, but the rust was gone. Everything was clear.

"It's alright, Starscream." the Seeker turned his head in Hook's direction. The Constructicon was not wearing the protective coverall and mask anymore, "You're okay now. You're quite a fighter."

Starscream still couldn't say anything, but he didn't feel strong enough for that anyway. Tubes and sensors were attached to him, and he knew they would have to pump him out to get rid of all the liquids and nanites from his systems. But it didn't matter now.

Skyfire was standing by his side and smiling. "You gave us quite a scare. Skywarp still hasn't forgiven you for daring to die, you know."

"Though maybe you _can_ convince me to do so." it was just then that Starscream saw his grinning trine mate a little further away, Thundercracker behind him, his fiery optics shone like glass in the sunlight.

"Your replacements will arrive shortly." it was Bombshell, talking from next to another, still empty berth, "Shockwave will be transporting them as soon as they're checked and ready."

"Hopefully, with your new vocoder, your voice won't be as screechy anymore and we can all relax." Starscream turned his head to the other side when he heard Megatron's voice. The ventilation tubes were still attached to his chest and he, too, had all the holes on his frame, but he was otherwise crystal clear, sitting and smiling at him with an amused expression. He must have been taken out of the chamber earlier.

"The new parts will adjust to your genetic coding, therefore, with some time, his new vocoder will produce a voice like his old one." the young Protectobot, First Aid spoke up this time, from where he was tending to Megatron, "Sorry to crush your hopes."

"I never imagined I would say this," Skywarp chuckled, still wearing that goofy grin, "but I'm looking forward to hearing that screeching again."

"Let him rest a little." Scrapper said, "We'll clean you properly. You can calm down now."

"Next up is Rumble." Starscream heard Ratchet say and he turned to him with a questioning look, hoping the old medic would understand. He did; smiling a little, he added, "And then Astrotrain."

Starscream breathed a sigh of relief and finally let his frame relax. He offlined his optics and allowed his weak body to fall into recharge once again - but this time knowing that he would wake up to see that all went well. That it was alright to drift away. That he would come back.

* * *

It took several solar cycles until he could finally leave the repair bay. His new internal parts, that earlier had to be taken out, were now installed and working fine. His frame still needed some patching up and he was still waiting for a leg and a wing, but he was feeling much better now. Weak, but alright.

It was Thundercracker who pushed him to their quarters in a hoverchair, Skywarp was walking next to him, almost leaping in poorly restrained joy. Starscream couldn't find it in himself to stop him. He was, for now, simply glad he was missed so much and that things finally turned for the better. He opted to just listen to his younger trine mate's chatter now, knowing that Thundercracker was probably smiling above him at the teleporter's happiness and it was just how he imagined it would be like to return to the real world.

How long had it been since he had last recharged in his own berth?

Thundercracker helped him onto the berth while Skywarp fetched him a cube of energon. The older Seeker caressed his wing fondly and Starscream leant into the gentle touch until Skywarp returned with his cube, now strangely quiet and his optics were a little wide.

"Starscream," he began, "there's someone who'd like to talk to you."

With that, he stepped aside to let Soundwave enter the room. The communications officer stopped and looked at Thundercracker, who nodded shortly before getting up, "We'll leave you alone." he said quietly and grabbed Skywarp's hand to pull him out of their quarters and give the two mechs some privacy.

Soundwave walked closer and sat down on the edge of the berth upon Starscream's invitation. They sat quietly for a while, Starscream dared take a sip from his energon, but stopped when he saw Soundwave's mask retract. The tape decker wore nothing on his face and he gave a curt nod before he started talking,

"First of all, I would like to thank you for your hard work and taking care of Rumble. This means a lot to me."

Starscream nodded in return, "I just... did what I could. I thank you, too, for taking all the responsibility of running the base and calling the Autobots."

Soundwave slowly cast his head to the side and Starscream felt that he still wanted to say something. And, knowing the third, he had a wild guess what it was.

"You planned it all along, didn't you?" Soundwave finally asked, "You coaxed me into calling the Autobots. That is why you wanted me to read all the datapads; to be able to give them all your findings so they could continue where you left off."

Starscream put away his cube. He remained calm and expected this conversation, "Yes, I did it. I knew you would eventually decide to step in if our situation got out of control, and you were the only one who could call the Autobots."

"Shockwave could have called them, too."

"He could have, but he would've never done it. He's even more loyal to Megatron than you are - he would not have disobeyed him. But you are a creator, and I knew your creation's life would be more important to you than any order."

"Then why didn't you propose the idea to call them to Megatron yourself? You could have done it sooner than me... Megatron would have eventually listened to your reason."

Starscream cast his gaze downwards, "I guess... my pride was bigger. _I_ wanted to be the one who found the solution. I refused to give up my place until I had it. Simple as that - I was too proud to let anyone else make it instead of me."

"But in the end, it wasn't you who found the cure."

"I cleared the path for them. And I trust Skyfire. He is someone I wasn't afraid to share it with. I'm not trying to defend myself. It might have ended much sooner, but you must understand... it _had_ to be _me_."

Soundwave stayed silent for a while, observing the Seeker with seemingly no emotions before talking again, "Knowing you for all these stellar cycles, I do understand your reasoning. For now, I am just glad it ended well for all of you." with that, he stood up and made his way over to the door, but before he left the quarters, he turned back to Starscream one last time, "But if you play with my creation's life ever again because of your pride, I'm going to kill you."

 _Noted_ , Starscream thought without any anger or offense whatsoever. Soundwave left his quarters and he picked up his cube again, expecting his trine mates to come back, but the steps that followed the whoosh of the door weren't those of Seekers. They were alone and heavier and Starscream's optics widened when he finally looked up.

Skyfire quietly made his way to his berth and sat down in front of him. Starscream leant into his palm when his big hand came to caress his face gently and he reached out for the larger flyer. Skyfire complied and their frames soon came together, lips brushing together in a gentle kiss that left tingling currents running down Starscream's backstruts. His wing trembled a little at the tender touch of his long-lost lover and he wished, at that moment, for nothing more than to be able to stop time for a few klicks.

"Aren't you disgusted?" he whispered and felt a chuckle vibrate through the shuttle's massive body.

"Of what, Starscream?" he asked back and folded his arms around the Seeker, "You're healthy and beautiful as ever. It's still you. This... won't change."

That was all he needed to hear.

* * *

Megatron wanted them in his quarters.

Starscream was still a little unstable on his new leg and had to use crutches to be able to walk, but he could make it alone all the way. Rumble soon came after him, Soundwave pushed him in in a hoverchair. His severed backstruts and circuits had been reconnected by Bombshell, but he still needed some time until he could stand on his legs again. His optics were clear and bright now and he had already taken his first sip of energon in several solar cycles. He looked quite healthy and he gave Starscream a small smile when their optics met.

Astrotrain came last. Blitzwing helped him, also in a hoverchair, into Megatron's quarters. His limbs would have to be replaced and he still wore a small spark monitor on his chest. He was the last one to leave the repair bay and needed to go back ever so often, but mostly for routine checks and replacements now. The fact that he could be there with them was a miracle in itself. And after he arrived, Soundwave and Blitzwing left the room to leave the four mechs alone.

Megatron did not know what to say. He had given glorious speeches before, made entire cities rise up with his words - and now the words left him. He just looked around his men, neither saying anything, and found that the heaviness soon evaporated from the silence. They were looking around each other, content in each other's presence without worry or fear for the other or themselves, without the anxiety of what tomorrow would bring.

They lived. Lived again.

Megatron did not know what to expect from the next cycle. All he knew was that he was calm now. Whom he wanted were there with him now, all four that he wanted to share this peace with. Peace... what a strange concept it had become over the stellar cycles... Yet, that was undeniably what he was feeling now. Starscream offered him a rare, quiet smile and touched his hand, just for a moment, just to reassure him that it was alright.

Megatron did not know what would happen. He did not know what changes it would bring with the Autobots... He didn't know what the future held. But they were there.

That was all that mattered.


End file.
